


Addiction

by DimensionTripperHomura



Series: Addiction [2]
Category: Love Live! School Idol Project
Genre: F/F
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-07-09
Updated: 2017-11-09
Packaged: 2018-11-30 02:00:47
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 20
Words: 109,544
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11453640
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/DimensionTripperHomura/pseuds/DimensionTripperHomura
Summary: Sequel to 'Misunderstandings'. Eli and Maki have lingering (physical) feelings for each other after their encounter in the music room. This series is basically about love and lust and which one will win out in the end. And whether lust will eventually turn into love.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Warning: DOES include Eli cheating. Just a heads up. There’s probably going to be a whole lot of angst.
> 
> Also, I'll update this once a week, on a Friday!!

Eli woke in the early hours of the morning, much to her confusion. Usually she managed to stick to a sleep pattern no matter what. The sound of music filtered into the room, though the sound was dulled by the walls. She shifted in Nozomi’s loose embrace, glancing toward the door. She didn’t have to look around the room to see who wasn’t there. There was no mistaking that it was Maki playing the piano a few rooms away. She carefully untangled herself from Nozomi who mumbled in protest before burying her face in Eli’s pillow and going back to sleep. Eli shook her head in amusement before she made her way across the room, grateful for the fact that her friends had left the light on a dim setting for her. Having just woken up her eyes were still half shut, leaving it difficult to see even with the light on. Thankfully she managed not to step on anyone. **  
**

Slipping out of the room, she slid the door shut behind her and padded down the hallway, following the soothing music she could hear. She paused outside of the room the music was coming from, only for a moment before she slid the door open and stepped inside. As she’d expected, she found Maki sitting at the piano. She took a moment to admire the pianist before she yawned, giving herself away.

Maki’s playing stopped as she looked up sharply, her expression guarded. She relaxed, a gentle smile gracing her lips at the sight of a sleepy and ruffled looking Eli standing near the door. “Did I wake you?”

Eli silently shook her head and moved over to Maki, taking a seat at the piano next to her. “I haven’t heard you play in a while.” She mumbled, resisting the urge to wrap her arms around Maki’s to pull her in close. It was chilly in the room and she was still groggy from sleep. “You couldn’t sleep?”

Maki bit the inside of her cheek to keep from grinning at Eli’s tired mutterings. “I haven’t been very inspired lately.” She answered, gently nudging Eli’s arm with her own. Her brow furrowed when she noticed that Eli was trembling slightly. “Are you cold?”

“A bit.” Eli mumbled with a small shrug of her shoulders. “Nozomi was keeping me warm earlier, before I got up.”

Maki felt a strange flare of jealousy upon hearing Eli’s answer. Trying to ignore the feeling, she got up and glanced around the room in search of a blanket or something. She didn’t find anything of course and eventually she sighed, reaching down to grip the hem of the hoodie she’d hurriedly pulled on before she’d gotten up. She tugged it off and pushed it toward Eli, trying not to blush as she did so.

Eli looked surprised by the move but took the hoodie from Maki. “Are you sure? Won’t you get cold?”

Maki shook her head as she sat back down. She felt a bit more of a chill in the room but there was no risk of her becoming too cold. “It’s fine, just put it on before you freeze.”

Eli grinned tiredly and did as she was told, pulling the hoodie on over her head. Maki wasn’t much smaller than her and the clothing fit her perfectly. It was still warm from Maki’s body heat and she found the chill she had felt fading right away. “It smells like you.” She mumbled, drawing the collar over her nose to slowly inhale the scent lingering on the fabric.

Maki flushed at the observation and scrambled for something to say in response. “Y-You’re so embarrassing sometimes.”

Eli gave a soft laugh and let go of the collar, allowing it to slip away from her nose. She shuffled closer to Maki instead, curling her arms gently around the arm closest to her and resting her head against the redhead’s shoulder. “That’s better.”

Maki tried to ignore the way her heartbeat sped up with Eli so close to her. She knew she couldn’t do anything. Eli had made her feelings perfectly clear when she’d chosen Nozomi. They were just friends. Still, she couldn’t help but remember the last time they were seated at a piano together. She closed her eyes tightly in an attempt to distract herself from her thoughts but all that did was make the images more vivid. She flinched upon hearing a note being played on the piano and quickly opened her eyes to see that Eli had reached out and pressed one of the keys. “What are you doing?”

“I hope you don’t mind.” Eli said quietly, her eyes lifting to Maki’s. They were so close that Maki could have leaned in and kissed her without even having to move all that much. “I just wanted to see if I could still do it.”

“Go ahead.” Maki said in a whisper, her eyes dipping for just a second to Eli’s lips. Fortunately, Eli turned away at that moment, untangling her arm from Maki’s.

Maki took a shuddering breath, overwhelmed by how much she had wanted to press her lips against the other girl’s. Suddenly the sound of the piano filled the room and Maki found herself lost in the familiar melody. She realized what it was right away. She had played it for Eli when they were together in the music room. She closed her eyes, listening intently until the music suddenly stopped.

“Well? What did you think?”

Maki turned her head to find Eli staring at her with a hopeful look on her face. “You’re beautiful.” She whispered, not realizing what she was saying until the words were out. “I-I mean your playing is beautiful. I…” She stopped speaking when Eli laughed softly at her.

“Thank you, Maki. But I can’t compare to you.” Eli lifted a hand and brushed Maki’s hair back from her face before leaning in to kiss her cheek.

The redhead felt her breath hitch as Eli’s lips stayed against her skin. Her heart pounded rapidly against her chest. “What are you doing to me, Eli?”

“I don’t know.” Eli whispered back as she turned her head slightly. Her lips grazed against Maki’s and she shuddered. Her mind had been on those lips for too long. She hesitantly repeated the action, trying to play it off as an accident. What she was doing was wrong. It was so wrong but Maki was intoxicating. Everything about her was addictive to Eli. The strangled moan Maki let out snapped the last of her control and she leaned in, kissing the other girl firmly. She felt arms come up to wrap around her neck to hold her close. Not that she had any desire to pull away.

As it was, Maki couldn’t focus on anything besides the insistent movement of Eli’s lips against her own. She could hardly believe the blonde was actually kissing her again. She had thought about doing this ever since their first kiss but she’d thought it would never happen. She gently tugged the hair tie from Eli’s hair, causing her blonde locks to fall over her back. She dipped her fingers into the silky tresses and gently teased the blonde’s lower lip with her tongue. She didn’t know if this was the last time she would be with Eli and she wanted to make the most of it. She’d spent hours fantasizing about what could have happened in the music room if Nozomi hadn’t interrupted them. Hours trying to recall the feeling of soft skin beneath her fingers and lips moving against her own. She knew she wouldn’t have stopped if Nozomi hadn’t shown up.

Eli parted her lips, her hands slipping eagerly under Maki’s shirt to rest on warm skin. She felt the younger girl shiver at the touch, the reaction only serving to add to the arousal she felt. She’d felt such a way around Nozomi but it was nothing compared to what she felt with Maki. It was strange. She was so in love with Nozomi and yet the physical attraction she felt to Maki was much more intense.

Finally, Maki had to draw back to take a gasping breath. She froze as blue eyes found her own. The stare was so intense that for a moment she thought that Eli was going to tell her to stop. “Eli, I…” She was cut off when Eli leaned forward and kissed her throat. Her grip on Eli’s hair tightened slightly. “E-Eli…”

Eli stood up suddenly, her hands shaking at her side. She had never felt such strong desire before and she wasn’t certain what to do with it. The way Maki immediately turned on the piano bench to face her reminded Eli of their encounter in the music room. Just like that time, she didn’t step away. She dropped to her knees in front of Maki, causing the other girl’s eyes to widen in surprise.

“W-What…?” Maki’s head spun as she watched Eli kneel between her legs. This was all going too fast. She wanted it but she was nervous about it at the same time.

“You got to see me last time.” Eli finally spoke as she pushed Maki’s shirt up. She leaned in, kissing the other girl’s stomach right above the sweatpants she was wearing. She had regretted not going that much farther with Maki. She should have at least gotten to see her.

Maki gasped softly, her back arching as Eli continued to kiss at her skin, making her way up. It suddenly struck her that she wasn’t wearing a bra but before she could comment on it, Eli was there, kissing and nipping at her skin. Eli wanted her. That much was clear to her now. The blonde’s actions spoke of honest desire, much like Maki’s own. She reached down to cup Eli’s cheeks, drawing her face back up and kissed her hard. Even if they could only do this once, Maki would selfishly take that.

Eli’s arms circled Maki’s waist to draw her closer as she responded to the kiss with equal enthusiasm. She reached for the other girl’s shirt, intended to remove it but froze at the sound of a thud in the hallway. The sound was followed by soft cursing.

“Elichi?”

Eli pulled away from Maki and hurriedly scurried backwards a moment before the door slid open.

“Elichi?” Nozomi repeated, squinting slightly. She had only just woken up, finding that Eli was no longer by her side. “What are you doing on the floor?”

Maki hurriedly pushed her shirt down before Nozomi could notice. “She um…decided to sit there while I played. I told her she could sit next to me but she didn’t listen.”

Nozomi frowned, turning her gaze to Maki. “I didn’t hear you playing. And you’re facing the wrong way.”

Maki scrambled for an excuse. “I was taking a break. We were just talking.”

“What were you talking about?” Nozomi looked to Eli who was staring back at her with wide eyes. “Elichi is blushing.”

“A-about you, obviously.” Eli felt awful for lying but she couldn’t tell Nozomi the truth. “What else?”

Nozomi smiled softly at the answer and reached out a hand to Eli. “Come back to bed, Elichi. I miss you.”

Maki glanced away, that familiar feeling of guilt returning. She shouldn’t be disappointed, nor should she be annoyed with Nozomi for interrupting them. She barely noticed Eli leave the room. She definitely didn’t notice the longing look the older girl sent her.


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for the comments guys, they're super appreciated. Hope you like the next chapter! :)

It had been three days since her encounter with Maki and Eli could barely bring herself to look her in the eye. Nozomi either. She was acting strangely withdrawn around her girlfriend. It was obvious Nozomi noticed. The concerned looks she kept shooting her told her that much.

“Honoka-chan wanted me to ask you if you want to go over to her house tonight to watch a movie.” Nozomi mentioned as she made her way out of the kitchen, a tray in her hand. She sat down to pour it and glanced over at Eli. She sighed at the spaced out look on the blonde’s face. Lately she felt like Eli wasn’t listening to her at all. Worse than that, she didn’t know why Eli was pulling away from her. “Elichi.”

Eli was drawn from her thoughts by a hand gently covering her own. She glanced toward Nozomi in surprise. “Oh. Nozomi.” She shook her head in an effort to clear it. “I’m sorry, were you saying something?”

“Honoka-chan wants us to go over tonight to watch a movie. Everyone will be there.” Nozomi repeated, unable to keep the worried look from her face. She felt like she’d done something wrong but she wasn’t sure what it could be. “She wanted to know if we’d go.”

“Oh…” Eli pulled her hand away from Nozomi’s and sheepishly rubbed the back of her neck. “I don’t think I’m up for a movie tonight. You can go ahead though. I’ll just go home. I should get back to Arisa anyway.”

Nozomi frowned at the refusal. She hesitated for a moment, her eyes briefly darting around the room. She had no idea what was going on in Eli’s head and it unsettled her. “What’s wrong, Elichi? You’ve been so distracted lately. Did…I do something to upset you?”

Eli’s eyes widened briefly in surprise at the question and she adamantly shook her head. “No! Why would you think that?”

Nozomi supposed she should feel relieved by the confirmation that she hadn’t done anything but if anything it set her more on edge than before. If that wasn’t what was troubling Eli, she didn’t know what it could be. “You barely touch me anymore. You haven’t even kissed me in almost a week.”

Eli swallowed thickly. “I’m sorry.” She tentatively reached across the table for Nozomi’s hand. “I have been distracted but this isn’t about you. Not really.” She watched as Nozomi tangled their fingers together, the familiar action sending an ache reverberating through her chest. Her eyes stung and she blinked hurriedly. “Nozomi…”

Nozomi’s face fell as Eli’s voice cracked with emotion. She squeezed the other girl’s hand tightly. She couldn’t stand to see her suffering. “Please tell me what’s going on, Elichi. I can’t help if I don’t know.”

Eli considered confessing for a split second but fear kept her from doing so. She somberly shook her head. “You’re too good for me.” She wiped hurriedly at her eyes before she looked up at Nozomi. “Let’s go to Honoka’s house tonight.”

Nozomi was left baffled by the change of subject. “But you just said…”

“I know, but maybe it’ll be fun.” Eli forced a smile to her lips. She could do this, she could act normal even if Maki would be there. It’s not as though they’d actually had sex or anything. It wasn’t important. “It’s been too long since we were all together.”

Nozomi barely managed to keep from telling Eli that the reason for that was the blonde’s sudden need to avoid being with the group. “Alright, I’ll tell Honoka.” She moved to stand but paused when Eli’s grip on her hand tightened.

Eli tentatively looked up at Nozomi. “You know I love you don’t you?”

Nozomi’s stomach flipped, not with the usual excitement she would feel when Eli told her she loved her, but with nerves. The blonde looked too sincere, sad almost. “Of course, Elichi.” She pulled her hand away from Eli’s and moved around the table to embrace her instead. “I love you too. More than anything.” She held on for a long time, unable to shake the feeling that Eli was slowly slipping away from her.

—

Maki glared across the room at Eli and Nozomi, a nauseating jealousy bubbling in the depths of her stomach. It was almost as though Eli was trying to prove a point. She hadn’t left Nozomi’s side since they’d gotten Honoka’s house. Maki had tried to ignore it at first but it was impossible. She hated feeling that way. Nozomi was her friend and she loved her. She knew that the purple haired girl would be heartbroken if she knew of their betrayal.

Eli glanced in her direction, catching her eye and she felt her breath catch in her throat. It seemed the slightest look could make her heartbeat quicken. She hated it, but not as much as she hated when Eli looked away from her.

Clenching her hands into fists, she forced herself to look away and focus on the romance movie Honoka had chosen. Predictably the majority of the group were engrossed in the move while Umi refused to watch it. She stared at the picture on the screen for a moment but she couldn’t help thinking of her time with Eli a few days ago. It hadn’t exactly been romantic. It had been spontaneous and desperate, both of them struggling to get closer to the other.

She released a shuddering breath at the memory and snuck another glance at Eli. It had seemed like the blonde had truly wanted her and yet she was with Nozomi. She claimed to be in love with Nozomi. It was all so confusing. She wasn’t sure how long she stared but after a short while, Eli’s gaze shifted back to her. Their eyes locked intently for a moment before Eli blushed and looked away.

Maki watched as Eli whispered something to Nozomi before standing. Nozomi almost stood too but Eli put her hand on her girlfriend’s shoulder and said something else to her. Maki didn’t quite hear but she was sure she heard ‘I’ll be fine’. A moment later Eli slipped out of the room and Nozomi’s gaze turned toward her. Hurriedly looking away, Maki tried to pretend she was engrossed in the movie even though her mind was still on Eli.

When a few minutes passed and Eli still didn’t return, Maki found herself wanting to follow. She resisted the temptation for a couple of minutes before she pushed herself to her feet and followed Eli out of the room. She didn’t notice the curious look Nozomi shot her.

She finally found Eli in the kitchen and paused in the doorway. The older girl was standing near the window, sipping at a glass of water. “Eli.”

Eli, who had been lost in her own thoughts, flinched at the mention of her name and glanced toward Maki. The sight of her almost caused the glass to slip from her fingers but she managed to readjust her grip to hold on. “M-Maki, what are you doing here?”

Maki found she couldn’t answer that. She didn’t really know why she had followed Eli out of the room. “What’s your problem?”

Eli gaped at Maki in surprise. “What do you mean?”

“It’s like you’re angry with me.” Maki stepped further into the room, not failing to notice Eli move back as she did. It wasn’t fair, that Eli seemed to blame her for what had happened. They were both responsible. “This isn’t my fault. You’re the one who kissed me first.”

Eli’s eyes widened at the accusation. “Shh!” She hissed, hurrying forward to close the door. She was well aware that Nozomi wasn’t far away. “This really isn’t the place to…” She trailed off, her breath catching in her throat when she realized just how close she had gotten to Maki. “I’m not angry with you.”

Maki sensed Eli start to move away and she reached out, gripping the hem of her shirt. “If you’re not angry with me, what’s going on? I need to know what we’re supposed to do now. I’m not…” She felt her cheeks burn with embarrassment. “You know more about this than I do.”

“We don’t do anything now. We need to stop.” Eli answered anxiously, her eyes darting between Maki and the door she’d just closed. “I’m with Nozomi and you’re in love with Nico, remember? We just can’t do this, it’s not right.”

“You think I don’t know that?!” Maki exclaimed irritably. “Nozomi is my friend, Eli!” She knew it would destroy Nozomi if she found out what had happened between the two of them. “I don’t want this any more than you do. I wish you’d never kissed me that day!”

“Don’t blame this on me, you kissed me back!” Eli countered, leaning a bit closer to Maki in her anger. “You wanted it just as much as I did that day in the music room. And after. Even…”

“Now?” Maki finished for her, her tone as steely as ever. “Is that what you’re trying to tell me, Eli? You’re worried that I still want y…”

Eli surged forward and pressed her lips to Maki’s. Caught off guard, Maki stumbled back against the door but she didn’t resist in any way. In fact she curled her arms around Eli’s waist to draw her closer.

All thoughts of Nozomi and what this would do to her seemed to disappear, replaced by the thought of how amazing it felt for Maki’s lips to be moving against her own. It didn’t make sense, for just a kiss to make her feel so much. It was much like their second kiss. It was desperate and needy, both of them trying to take something from the other though they weren’t sure what.

Eli gasped softly as Maki’s hands found their way underneath her shirt. Something told her they were moving too fast but she couldn’t bring herself to care. That seemed to be the way all their encounters went. She was taken by surprise however when Maki grabbed the bottom of her shirt and pulled it up over her head. Their lips were forced to part for just a moment before Maki kissed her again.

Not wanting to be outdone and needing to feel more of the other girl, Eli reached down and gripped the back of Maki’s knees. She lifted with a sudden burst of strength, eliciting a surprised cry from Maki.

Maki wrapped her legs around Eli’s waist and they both froze, listening for the sound of someone approaching. When they heard nothing, Eli ducked her head to kiss Maki’s neck.

Maki shuddered at the action and in her dazed state, reached up to loosen Eli’s hair tie. She tossed it carelessly aside, her fingers sinking into messy blonde locks. “Eli…” She gasped softly as Eli began to suck at the skin of her neck. She could barely believe how good it felt. The blonde didn’t let up and within a few moments, Maki was becoming alarmingly conscious of the fact that Eli’s bare stomach was pressed between her legs. The idea that Eli could feel the damp heat that emanated from there caused her cheeks to flush in embarrassment.

Eli took note of the subtle movement of Maki’s hips and reacting on instinct, began to grind her stomach forward. It was strangely satisfying, to know that she was the one causing those reactions. It was only when Maki moaned loudly that Eli stilled completely, her eyes widening in alarm. A few seconds later she heard talking followed by the sound of footsteps. She reached back to push Maki’s legs down from her waist.

“Maki, the door!” She pulled away and hurried off to find her shirt. “Keep it closed!”

For a moment Maki didn’t move but as the door began to slid open, she threw herself toward it and forced it closed again. “J-Just a second!”

Eli frantically pulled her shirt over her head, making sure it wasn’t ruffled before she nodded at Maki who smoothed her hand over her skirt and released the door to reveal Umi and Honoka standing there.

“We were just coming to make some more tea.” Umi said cautiously, glancing between the two flushed girls. “Is everything alright?”

“Fine!” Eli’s voice was higher than usual, her hands covering her stomach as if they’d somehow find out what she’d just been doing with Maki. “I-I’m actually not feeling well so I have to go.”

“I’ll go too.” Maki offered quickly though she wasn’t sure why she was so quick to offer. It wasn’t as though she wanted to hurt Nozomi by going all the way with Eli.

“No!” Eli snapped, glancing toward Maki. She softened at the hurt look that briefly flashed over Maki’s face. “I’m sorry, I just need to go. I’ll see you later.”

She pushed past Umi and Honoka and rushed out of the door, bumping into something warm and soft. She looked up, a lump forming in her throat when her eyes met Nozomi’s. The turquoise eyes gazing back at her were soft and caring. More than that, they were filled with love. She didn’t deserve it.

“Are you alright?” Nozomi asked, gently brushing a strand of hair behind Eli’s ear. She noticed right away that it wasn’t tied back as it had been earlier. “What happened to your hair?”

Eli couldn’t stop her eyes filling with tears. “I’m so sorry, Nozomi.” She slipped past Nozomi and hurried toward the door to put her shoes on.

“What? Elichi, wait!” Nozomi rushed after Eli but she was already out of the door before she could get to her. At a loss, she stopped short. It seemed her fear that Eli was pulling away from her was true. She closed her eyes, feeling the corner’s prickle with her own tears. She didn’t know what she would do if she lost Eli. Turning, she found Maki standing in the doorway to the kitchen, a pained look on her face. As soon as their eyes met, Maki hurried off, leaving her more confused than a moment ago.


	3. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Warning: DOES include Eli cheating. Just a heads up. 
> 
> DOUBLE CHAPTER POST TODAY. Another coming up in a couple of minutes. :)

The silence in the student council room was nothing short of awkward. The only sound was the scrape of Eli’s pen against paper. Nozomi was too preoccupied with watching the blonde to think about doing any kind of homework herself. Eli’s odd behavior recently was starting to unnerve her. She didn’t know what was wrong with her girlfriend and she certainly had no idea how to fix it. The fact that they were sitting in the student council room only attested to the fact that something wasn’t right. Now that she wasn’t the student council president Eli only went there when she needed to think.

“Elichi.” She called finally, drawing Eli’s attention toward her. “Aren’t we going to talk about what happened at Honoka’s house?”

Eli’s chest seized with panic for a moment at the mention of what had happened. Images of Maki flooded her mind and she shook her head as if to push them away. “There’s nothing to talk about.”

Nozomi frowned at the obvious lie. Eli was clearly keeping something from her but she didn’t know what it could be. “The way you left says otherwise.” She turned in her seat to face Eli directly. “Why won’t you tell me what’s bothering you? “

They’d always confided in each other before. It was baffling for that to have stopped.

Eli bit her lip and refused to meet Nozomi’s gaze. The truth would break her girlfriend’s heart, she knew that without doubt. “I just can’t.”

“Elichi, you’re worrying me.” Nozomi hesitantly reached out and took Eli’s hand in her own. She was relieved when Eli didn’t pull away right away. “I know you well enough to know when something’s upsetting you. You’ve been distracted for weeks now.”

“I’m sorry.” Eli whispered honestly. She didn’t know what else to say. Feeling her eyes growing misty, she leaned forward and rested her forehead against Nozomi’s shoulder. She took a shuddering breath to calm herself. “I don’t deserve you.”

Nozomi’s brow furrowed at the familiar words. “You keep saying that but I don’t know what you mean. Why do you think that?” If anything she was the one who didn’t deserve Eli, not the other way around. She’d never allowed herself to imagine that she’d be lucky enough to actually be with the girl she’d fallen for.

Eli took another slow breath to calm herself before she slowly pulled away.

Nozomi waited for an answer but much to her dismay Eli didn’t offer one. “Is this about Maki-chan?” She guessed before she could stop herself. She’d noticed the two acting especially awkward around each other. She watched as Eli looked up in alarm. “What’s going on with the two of you? You’ve both been acting strange.”

“This has nothing to do with Maki!” Eli quickly pulled away from Nozomi, her eyes wide with panic. “I-I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

Nozomi felt a sense of dread creep up on her. “If this has nothing to do with Maki-chan, why did you react like that?”

Eli swallowed thickly, her chest tight with panic. “I have to go, I just remembered I have to…do something.” She stood quickly from her seat, ready to make a quick retreat from the room. She was stopped by a hand gripping her wrist. Turning back to Nozomi, she was surprised to see anger flicker briefly across her girlfriend’s face.

“Why do you keep running from me?” The anger drained from Nozomi’s face, replaced with a desperation that caused Eli’s heart to clench painfully in her chest. “I can help you. Whatever it is, we can work it out together. I’m your best friend.”

“Maybe it would have been better if we’d stayed that way.” Eli’s words came out clogged with emotion. She hadn’t wanted that but now she could see it would have been a lot simpler. Not only that but she wouldn’t have been hurting Nozomi. Her point was further proven by the crushed look on Nozomi’s face.

“Do you…really think that?” Nozomi allowed her hand to slide from Eli’s and fall back to her side. Of all of the things she’d expected Eli to say that hadn’t been one of them. Her lower lip trembled and she bit down on it to keep it still. She couldn’t do anything about the tears that prickled at her eyes.

Eli lifted a hand to cover her mouth, a choked sob escaping her at seeing Nozomi upset. “I-I have to go, I’m sorry.” With that, she turned on her heel and hurried from the room. Trying to make it better wasn’t doing her any good. She was just making it worse. For herself, for Maki, but mostly for Nozomi.

“Eli?”

Eli veered to a stop when Maki herself blocked her path and gripped her arms.

Maki’s gaze raked over Eli’s tear soaked cheeks in concern. “Why are you crying?”

Eli hadn’t realized that her tears had fallen. She could only shake her head in response to the question, her throat closed up with emotion.

“Come on.” Maki looked around before she grabbed Eli’s hand and tugged her down the hallway.

After a few moments, Eli finally gained the presence of mind enough to try to pull away but Maki held firm, refusing to let go of her hand until they were safely inside the music room.

She locked the door before she turned toward Eli. “Tell me what happened.” She said, her voice surprisingly even despite how nervous she felt about being alone with Eli again. “What’s wrong?”

“What’s wrong?!” Eli repeated shrilly, her voice clogged with emotion. She stared at Maki through tear filled eyes as if she thought the other girl had lost her mind. “What’s wrong is that I can’t stay away from you and I’m hurting Nozomi and I’m terrified of what I feel for you!” She clenched her shirt tightly in her fist.

Maki cursed herself for feeling hopeful when Eli mentioned that she felt something for her. She felt just as bad about hurting Nozomi.

“I told Nozomi we should have stayed friends.” Eli whispered, fresh tears sliding down her cheeks. “She looked so hurt. I…I can’t keep doing this to her, Maki. Or you.”

Maki silently walked over to Eli and cupped her face in her hands. “You don’t think I’m afraid of this?” She asked softly, meeting Eli’s gaze. It was far from the truth. She leaned in slowly and gently pressed her lips to Eli’s, her eyes flitting closed. Kissing Eli was just as soft and warm as she remembered it to be. It was better than anything she’d ever felt before. Not that she had experience with anyone but the third year.

It took a few moments but Eli finally relaxed and began to respond, her arms slipping around the younger girl’s waist.

Maki’s breath caught in her throat as the movement closed the gap between them. The warmth of Eli’s body against her own, even while still clothed, was intense. Tasting salt on her lips, she slowly eased her head back. She smiled gently and reached up to brush the tears from the blonde’s cheeks.

“Maki…” Eli whispered uncertainly, her eyes half-lidded as she stared back at the redhead.

“It’s alright. Just relax.” Maki leaned in and kissed Eli once again. She felt suddenly calm. Maybe calmer than she had in weeks. It seemed being close to the blonde just had that effect on her. She knew what she wanted and there was nothing to keep her from taking it. Not any more. Her lips briefly parted from Eli’s but she stayed close to her. “I don’t want you to run from me again. Just stay. ”

Eli felt Maki’s hands grip at her jacket and all thoughts of Nozomi left her mind. She met apprehensive violet eyes. “I will.” She whispered before she kissed her again. She felt Maki’s arms go around her neck and she tightened her grip in turn.

Maki felt Eli start to back her up but she didn’t protest as she didn’t want to kill the mood. Her knees hit cool polished wood and her breath hitched. She drew away from the kiss and glanced over her shoulder, relaxing when she found it was just the piano bench.

She felt Eli press against her shoulders and she obediently sat down. A second later, Eli was straddling her again, her lips once again pressing against hers. Somehow it felt right, for Eli to take control in the situation though Maki was hardly thinking about that at the moment, especially when the blonde teased the tip of her tongue against her lips. She gasped gently and felt the warmth of Eli’s tongue brush against her own, drawing out a soft moan.

Eli shuddered at the sound, a familiar heat flooding south. She kissed Maki harder, the action, which had up until that point stayed slow and gentle turning into something rougher and more desperate, like their kiss in Honoka’s kitchen.

Eli felt her shirt being pulled from her skirt and tensed slightly as she prepared herself for Maki’s hands pressing against her skin. Instead of the cold palms she was expecting, they were pleasantly warm against her back and she found herself relaxing immediately.

She nipped lightly at Maki’s lower lip and allowed her hands to dip down, busying herself with undoing the buttons of the other girls shirt. It didn’t take more than a few seconds, nimble as her fingers seemed to be. Her hands quickly slid around Maki’s back and she unlatched her bra as if it were a mere nuisance to her.

She pushed Maki’s hands down from her back and slid the other girl’s shirt down her shoulders. Maki seemed to know what she wanted and quickly tugged it off the rest of the way, along with her bra.   
  
Eli took a second to look Maki over, her mouth slightly agape as she did so.

“E-Eli, that’s embarrassing.” Maki flushed at the stare she was receiving. She wasn’t sure how she managed not to cross her arms over her chest.

Eli whispered an apology and leaned in to kiss Maki again only for the first year to tilt her head back to avoid her lips. When she tried again only for Maki to react the same way, her brow furrowed. “Maki?”

“I want to see you too.” Maki reached out and began to slowly unbutton Eli’s shirt, fumbling a bit along the way. It took a couple of minutes but she finally managed to strip Eli’s torso entirely of clothing. Her eyes widened slightly as she took in the sight before her. Eli was just as stunning as she’d imagined.

Eli shuddered under Maki’s heated stare and lurched forward to kiss her again, heat pumping through her veins. When Maki whimpered and arched into her, Eli slipped her hand between them to slip beneath Maki’s skirt. She inhaled sharply at the wet heat that met her fingers, even through thin cotton. She easily nudged that aside to feel the heated skin directly.

Maki turned her head as her hips rolled into Eli’s touch. “E-Eli, I don’t know…”

Eli knew what Maki was going to say. She leaned down to kiss her neck and shook her head. “It’s alright. Leave it to me.” She pressed her palm to Maki’s bare breast, basking in the heated skin. She continued to move both hands, listening as Maki’s moans filled the room. They seemed to go right through her, adding to the throbbing between her legs. She couldn’t help but think, as Maki’s moans grew to a crescendo, that it was one of the most captivating things she’d ever heard.

—

A light knocking on the door drew Nozomi from her doze. She’d retired to bed about an hour ago with a book, not feeling up to doing anything else.

_Maybe it would have been better if we’d stayed that way._

Eli’s words rang clearly in her mind, bringing with them a painful pang every time she thought upon them. Shaking her head, she forced herself up and padded over to the door. She was surprised to find Eli standing there when she opened it. She’d expected the blonde to avoid her, at least for a short while.

“Hey.” Eli awkwardly rubbed her own arm, unable to meet Nozomi’s eyes. “Can I come in for a minute? I need to talk to you about…something.”

“Alright.” Nozomi stepped aside to let Eli into the apartment and closed the door behind her. She had a bad feeling about this but she didn’t want to jump to conclusions. Maybe Eli had just come to apologize.

Eli cast a glance around the apartment. So many memories were attached to it. Across the room near the television was where Nozomi had first told her she loved her. Back when they were just friends. In the kitchen was where they’d spent endless hours cooking and messing around. Eli’s gaze lingered on the bed. That was where they had both experienced their first time. She remembered every second with startling clarity. Every touch and every whispered admission of love.

“Nozomi, I…” Eli nervously licked her lips as she turned to face her girlfriend. There was no easy way to say what she was about to. “I think we should break up.”

Nozomi stared at Eli like she’d walked right up to her and slapped her. “W-What?” She stammered in shock. “Why?”

“I can’t do this anymore.” Eli struggled to keep her emotions in check. She knew what she was saying would hurt Nozomi unimaginably. She hated herself for that. She hated the whole situation. “It’s too complicated.”

Nozomi’s heart beat painfully quickly against her chest. “Why is it complicated?” She stepped forward only for Eli to counter the movement with a step back. “I love you. You…love me, don’t you?”

“Of course.” Eli said helplessly. “That’s why I’m doing this. I love you too much to keep doing what I’m doing. You’re the most important person in the world to me, Nozomi. You’re my family. You and Arisa.”

Nozomi felt tears well up in her eyes. She knew that. Eli had told her before. The blonde had other family but they weren’t there. Not really. “Then I don’t understand. What’s…?”

Eli closed her eyes tightly and clenched her fists at her sides. “I cheated on you!” She didn’t see Nozomi’s reaction but she hear her startled gasp. “I-I had sex with someone else.” Slowly, she opened her eyes to witness the pained expression she knew would be on Nozomi’s face. “I’m so sorry, Nozomi. I tried to stay away from her. I tried so hard but I couldn’t. I just…” She bowed her head, her throat closing up with emotion.

Nozomi was silent for a long moment, the ache in her chest taking her breath away. She felt as if she was dreaming. It was just a nightmare. Finally she blinked and the tears that had brimmed up fell. “I forgive you.”

“What?!” Eli looked up sharply. Of all the ways she’d expected Nozomi to react, expressing forgiveness wasn’t one of them. She’d thought she would yell at her, tell her she hated her, maybe even slap her but that wasn’t the case. “What do you mean?”

“I mean I forgive you.” Nozomi repeated, her voice slightly choked with emotion. “Whatever you did, I’ll forgive you. For anything. But I can’t lose you, Elichi. I won’t. Just say you won’t do it again.”

“I-I can’t.” Eli said, still shocked by Nozomi’s abrupt forgiveness. “I can’t say that I won’t. I can’t stay away from her, no matter what I do. I won’t stay with you if I’m going to go to someone else…”

Nozomi angrily gritted her teeth together. “Maki. You can say her name, Elichi.” She met Eli’s gaze through tear filled eyes. She wasn’t surprised to see that Eli looked just as upset. “I’m not blind. Or stupid. I knew you had feelings for her.” She hadn’t thought that either of them would go so far as to betray her. “Every time you looked at her…” She shuddered at the thought of the looks she’d noticed between the two. “Tell me…do you love her?”

“No. Yes.” Eli shook her head in confusion. “I don’t know. I don’t think I’m in love with her. I love you. Maki…my feelings for her are just strong.”

Nozomi felt a flare of hope at the answer. “So we can get through this. We can, Elichi.” She stepped forward and reached out to grip Eli’s hand in her own. “I love you too much to lose you. I don’t know what I’ll do.”

Eli slowly shook her head. “We can’t fix this. Not after what I’ve done.” She drew her hand away from Nozomi’s and brushed past her, heading for the door.

“Elichi!”

Eli turned around only to be pushed back against the door as Nozomi rushed toward her. She gasped sharply at the wind was knocked out of her lungs. “N-Nozomi.”

“Don’t do this.” Nozomi pleaded, pressing herself close to Eli. A sob laced her words as she clenched the sides of Eli’s jacket in her hands. “I love you!”

Eli felt the last of her control crumble as Nozomi began to cry openly into her neck. Her bottom lip trembled, moisture once again flooding her eyes. Seconds later her sobs joined Nozomi’s and she reached out to embrace her girlfriend - ex-girlfriend - as tightly as she could. She felt Nozomi’s knees buckle and slid down the door, landing with a thump on the floor.

“I’m so sorry…”


	4. Chapter 4

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> DOUBLE CHAPTER POST! BE SURE TO READ THE LAST ONE OR THIS MIGHT NOT MAKE SENSE.
> 
> Warning: Cheating. Also if you like Nozomi (and just a disclaimer, I LOVE Nozomi) you're not going to like Eli in this chapter. At all. :/

Eli fiddled with the zipper of her coat as she hesitated outside of Maki’s front gate. A part of her knew that she should have left it a bit longer. Having only broken up with Nozomi the night before and having left her in such a state, she felt awful for seeking solace with one of their friends. But she couldn’t help it. **  
**

She closed her eyes and released a breath, not noticing her breath float away on the winter breeze in the form of a plume of vapor. Sitting alone in her room she’d only been able to think of Nozomi and what she would be doing. She’d still be upset, Eli knew. More than that, she’d be heartbroken. She was well aware of what she’d done to her best friend. Perhaps that was why she was seeking a distraction.

Finally mustering up the courage, she lifted her hand and pushed the button on the intercom. She only had to wait a few seconds for someone to answer her.

“Yes?”

Eli jumped at the sound of the voice coming through the speaker even though she had been expecting it. “U-Um…I’m Ayase Eli. I’m a friend of Maki’s. I was wondering if I could speak to…” She trailed off at the sound of a buzz letting her know that the gate was opening.

“Come right in.”

“Thank you.” Eli said gratefully. She pushed her way through the gate and moved toward the door, trying not to gape at the size of Maki’s house. It was practically a mansion, uncomparable to her own modest home. When she reached the front door, she found it open and stepped inside to find a woman waiting for her. “Pardon the intrusion.” She bowed respectfully to the older woman. “You must be Maki’s mother. I-It’s nice to meet you.”

“It’s always nice to meet a friend of my daughter’s.” Maki’s mother replied with a warm smile. She had been concerned for a long while that Maki wasn’t bringing any friends home but it seemed that her worries had been unfounded. “Go right up. I called up to tell Maki that you’re here.”

“Thank you.” Eli said again before she turned and scurried up the stairs, her cheeks flamed red. Being around the woman after doing such lewd things with Maki made her feel guilty. As promised, she found Maki waiting for her at the top of the stairs. She was grateful for that. As she glanced at the doors she couldn’t help but think she would have gotten lost while looking for Maki’s room.

“Hi.” Maki said quietly as she regarded Eli. She wasn’t sure why Eli was there but ever the pessimist, she could only assume it was to tell her that their time together hadn’t meant anything to her. “What are you doing here, Eli?”

“I was wondering if we could talk.” Eli requested hopefully, trying not to fiddle with her coat. She suddenly felt too warm and nervous. As nervous as she was she didn’t want to let Maki know that. “In private, please?”

Maki nodded and turned, leading Eli down the hallway. They passed several doors until they got to Maki’s bedroom.

Eli glanced around when she entered. She hadn’t known what she’d been expecting but the room seemed to have a very ‘Maki’ vibe. She unzipped her coat and slipped it off, folding it over her arm. “I was um…I wanted to see you. After…”

“Yeah.” Maki felt warmth flood her cheeks at the reminder of their time in the music room. She remembered it vividly. She hadn’t been able to sleep the night before, much too busy recounting every touch. “I um…figured we should talk about it.”

Eli looked Maki over, trying to figure out what she was thinking. “How do you feel after…you know?”

“A bit odd, I suppose. Sore too. You know I’d never done it before, right?” If Maki had been blushing before her cheeks had to be glowing a similar shade to her hair by now. “I guess I’m a bit freaked out by it.”

“Sorry.” Eli couldn’t help but feel guilty about that. She hadn’t meant for Maki’s first time to be in a music room, where anyone could have walked in on them. Her own first time with Nozomi had been special, it had been as intimate as she could have hoped. She felt her eyes prickle and stubbornly blinked.

Maki hurriedly shook her head. “I wanted it. I wanted you. I-I don’t regret it, really.” She looked away awkwardly. “I know you’re probably here to say that you do. That you want to go back to normal. If that’s what you’re here for just get it over with. I have things to do.”

Eli wasn’t affected by Maki’s harsh tone. “I broke up with Nozomi last night.” She hugged her coat close to her chest. “She um…she knows about us.”

“Oh.” Maki was stunned into silence for a few long moments. She had never imagined that Eli would actually break up with Nozomi. Anyone who knew them could tell that they loved each other deeply. She felt sick with guilt. She had caused this. She almost asked how Nozomi was but she stopped herself. She knew that already. Nozomi would be heartbroken by the break up. “I-I don’t know what you want me to say.”

“I want you to say…” Eli took a deep breath, trying to keep her nerves at bay long enough to voice her question. “Please go out with me, Maki! O-On a date, I mean. I want to take you out.” She dared to look up and winced at Maki’s surprised expression. “I know things haven’t started out very well between us but I want to do this with you. I want to do it right. So…will you?”

“I…yes.” Maki had to bite her lip to hide a smile at the thought of actually being asked out by Eli. If she didn’t have feelings for her, why would she do that? “I’ll go out with you.”

“Great, get your coat!” Eli practically beamed at Maki’s answer and reached for her hand. Much to her confusion, Maki flinched away, her eyes wide. “What?”

“Now?” Maki asked, her voice a bit higher than usual with panic. “I-I can’t go out like this. I have to change.” She stepped forward and grabbed Eli’s hand, dragging her toward the door. Ignoring the blonde’s protests she pushed her into the hallway. “Wait downstairs with my mom. I’ll be down soon.”

“Eh?” Eli’s eyes widened in alarm at the idea of spending time with the older woman. She quickly jammed her foot in the door. “How am I supposed to look your mom in the eye after I took your…”

“Make small talk.” Maki snuck her hand out of the room and pushed against Eli’s chest. “I believe in you.” She closed the door in Eli’s face and made her way to her closet to scan the contents. She cursed under her breath when she didn’t manage to find anything decent enough to wear. It was a miracle she even had the opportunity to go on a date with Eli. The last thing she wanted was to make a bad impression.

Letting out a growl of exasperation, she crossed the room and grabbed her phone. She tried to call Kotori but the second year didn’t answer. It was typical. Of all people, Kotori would be the most helpful. She reluctantly dialled the next person she thought of.

“Nico Nico Nii! I…”

“Cut it out, it’s just me.” Maki interrupted with a roll of her eyes. She walked toward the mirror, looking herself over. Damn Eli for not giving her time to think about what to wear, or even shower! “Um…I need your help with something.”

“You’re rude to me and then you expect me to help you?” Nico sounded annoyed. “You have some nerve, Maki.”

“I’m sorry, okay?!” Maki exclaimed, frustrated with the situation. “I-I’m just on edge. I really need your help.”

There was a moment of silence on the other end of the line and suddenly Nico spoke again, her tone serious. “What’s wrong?”

Maki hesitated but not for long. “I-I’m going on a date and I don’t know what to wear! I don’t want to look stupid in front of her and it’s not like she even needs to try to look good because she always does and I haven’t even showered, Nico-chan! I probably smell and she’s going to think I’m dirty or something and…”

Nico promptly burst out laughing, effectively cutting Maki off. “The ever composed Nishikino Maki is panicking about a date?!”

“Shut up!” Maki exclaimed angrily. “Idiot!”

“Maki-chan is going on a date?!”

“Who was that?” Maki asked, her eyes widening in horror. “Nico-chan, I swear if you put me on speaker, I’ll kill you!”

“It was just Hanayo, relax. A few of us decided to get together today. We would have invited you if you’d picked up your phone. Speaking of which, have you heard from Nozomi and Eli? Neither of them are answering my calls. Never mind…knowing them they’re probably up to something I don’t want to think about.”

The guilt was back, choking Maki for a few long seconds. “Uh…no idea.” She answered, giving a shake of her head.

“Maki-chan, who are you going on a date with?!”

“Kotori?” Maki exclaimed hopefully as she caught the sound of Kotori’s voice. “Nico-chan, ask Kotori what I should wear!”

Having wanted to torment Maki longer, Nico gave a long suffering sigh. “Kotori, Maki wants to know what she should wear on her date.”

Maki waited, straining to hear what was being said. “Well?!”

“Kotori says you should wear what you’re comfortable in.” Nico reported back, clearly annoyed with having to pass the messages back and forth. “She says you’ll look better if you’re comfortable with what you have on. Besides, you look good in anything. Those are her words, not mine!”

“Thanks, Nico-chan. Tell Kotori I said thanks too.” Maki hung up before either of them had a chance to ask who she was going on a date with. She couldn’t tell them, that was out of the question. She looked herself over in the mirror and nodded to herself. “Right!”

—

Maki cast a sidelong glance at Eli as they walked, taking in the reddening of her cheeks. It had nothing to do with the cold, she knew. She couldn’t help but laugh at the sight. She’d never seen Eli act so self-conscious. “Was talking to my mom really that bad?”

Eli glanced up, her eyes wide and she quickly shook her head. “I really like your mom. She seems nice, I just…feel bad after what I did to you.”

“With me.” Maki corrected with a shake of her head. “I remember returning the favour. Besides, it has  nothing to do with my mom.” She reached out, her bare hand slipping into Eli’s gloved one. She gave a light squeeze. “You didn’t do anything I didn’t want to do.”

Eli smiled softly at the response and nodded her head. She was disappointed when Maki let go of her hand but she tried not to show it. They walked in comfortable silence for a few minutes, neither of them wanting to talk about things they usually would. Any talk of Muse would eventually lead to talking about Nozomi.

Finally, Maki realized where they were and her step faltered for a second. “Is this…?”

“Where we performed Snow Halation.” Eli answered brightly. She’d put a lot of thought into where she could take Maki. Maybe too much thought. “But we’re not here to perform today, we’re here to watch! It’ll be a nice break from being on stage, right?”

Maki half expected to end up watching some idols on the stage but when it came into view she was surprised to find a piano set up. It wasn’t exactly common for idols to play their music on stage. “Eli, is this…?”

“I found out there was a piano recital here today and since you love playing so much I thought you might enjoy listening to it too. I know I do, especially when you play.” Eli smiled charmingly at Maki and bumped her with her arm. “I know it’s kind of cheesy but…”

“I love it.” Maki interrupted, her eyes wide with excitement as she glanced between Eli and the stage. “Thank you, Eli.”

Eli blushed at the look Maki was giving her. “Come on, let’s go and find somewhere good to stand.” She took Maki’s hand and dragged her off to find somewhere close to the stage to position themselves. They found an ideal position and Eli began to carefully release the hand in her own only for Maki to tighten her hold. Surprised, Eli glanced at Maki to find her staring at the piano on stage, her eyes wide with excitement.

Eli couldn’t help but feel charmed by Maki’s excitement. As the pianist took his seat and the violinist began playing she didn’t bother to look away from Maki, nor did she think she could. It was odd to see Maki so carefree. Usually she had such a front up. The idea that Maki felt like she could lower that front around her touched Eli more than she could say.

“I love this part when he starts to play.” Maki said, almost to herself. Her grip on Eli’s fingers tightened in excitement as she stared up at the stage. “The music from the piano and the violin combines so effortlessly.”

Eli had to bite down on her lip to keep from expressing just how cute Maki was. After a few minutes she turned her attention to the stage, listening closely to the familiar music. Almost unconsciously, she began to hum the violin part.

Maki had been staring at the stage but her attention strayed upon hearing Eli’s humming. Surprised, she glanced toward her. She opened her mouth to ask how Eli knew the song but decided against it, not wanting to interrupt. Instead she waited for a moment before she joined in, drawing Eli’s gaze toward her. Their eyes locked and after a few seconds, a laugh escaped Maki’s throat, interrupting her humming. Eli quickly joined in and soon enough they had to lean against each other to stay standing.

“How do you know this piece?” Maki asked curiously when she finally composed herself. She was surprised that Eli knew it. She hadn’t expected it from any of her friends, especially the blonde.

“I uh…I play violin sometimes.” Eli reached up and tucked a strand of hair behind her ear. “Not often but I know how to. This is one of the pieces I know how to play. I love it. It makes me feel…free.”

“I do too.” Maki couldn’t keep the excitement from her voice though usually she would be embarrassed about being so enthusiastic about something. “I know classical music can be a bit…depressing but I love that this is different. I almost feel like I could dance to it.”

“Oh yeah?” Eli grinned and stepped back, using her grip on Maki’s hand to tug her into a twirl. “Like this? I’d be happy to dance with you.”

“Idiot.” Maki couldn’t keep the smile off her face though, not even when the music finally died out. She watched as the people around them began to make their way from the stage. Her gaze went to the quietly talking pair on the stage. “Maybe…you could play this with me sometime? I mean if you want, it’s not like I care that much or anything. I just thought you might want to.”

“I would love to.” Eli decided not to take offence to Maki’s last words. She knew the composer didn’t mean anything by them. “Come on, let’s go eat. I saw a takoyaki stall earlier.”

Maki followed as Eli moved away, her suddenly cold hands slipping into her pockets. When she caught up with her, Eli was already buying their food. “You didn’t have to pay for mine, Eli.”

“Of course I did. I’m the one who asked you on this date, aren’t I?” Eli asked, shooting Maki an amused look. She handed the younger girl one of the paper plates in her hand and together they walked to a nearby bench. “Let’s dig in!”

Maki considered protesting but decided that if paying made Eli happy she would allow it.

“This is so good.” Eli said through a mouthful of food, a look of bliss on her face as she ate.

Maki glanced over at Eli and swallowed her own food first before she answered. “You got chocolate?” She asked, a laugh lacing her words. She hadn’t even known that flavor was available. “You’re so predictable, Eli. And you shouldn’t talk with your mouth full.”

Eli faux glared at Maki and swallowed her food. “I just know what I like. Want some?” She picked up one of the small balls and offered it to Maki. She hadn’t thought Maki would want to opt for chocolate so she’d mindfully bought a more traditional flavor for her instead.

“Oh, um…sure. I could try it.” Maki leaned in and took the food from Eli, her lips grazing against the blonde’s fingertips. She blushed and leaned back, slowly chewing the food. It was surprisingly good. Odd but good. “It’s good.”

“See?” Eli smiled victoriously and went back to eating again. A silence fell between them as they ate though neither was sure what to say to break it. Finally they were both finished eating and no longer had an excuse for the silence.

It was getting dark, Maki noticed, looking toward the sky. She didn’t want to go home just yet but she didn’t know what else to say. Catching sight of the stars that glimmered in the sky, an idea formed in her head. She jumped up from her seat, startling poor Eli into almost dropping the paper plate in her hand.

“Come with me.” She held her hand out to Eli, hoping the blonde wouldn’t question her too much. She was relieved when Eli grabbed her hand without hesitation. She gave a tug and pulled Eli up from the bench she was sitting on.

“Where are we going?” Eli asked, allowing Maki to tug her further into the park. When Maki didn’t answer she didn’t press but she had to admit that she was a bit more hesitant when the younger girl began to tug her up a hill. Wincing at the idea of tumbling down it and looking like an idiot in front of her date, Eli was careful to keep her balance as she climbed.

“We’re here!” Maki tumbled down to the grass, not caring less about how dirty her clothes got. She giggled and pulled Eli down with her.

Eli landed on her side with a surprised ‘Oof’. Too enraptured by the happiness on Maki’s face she couldn’t even bring herself to question her. Instead, she lay on her back at Maki’s side and stared up at the sky.

“The sky is clear tonight.” Maki commented as she stared at the night sky. It was surprisingly clear really. She supposed they should be glad of that at least.

“Look!” She grabbed Eli’s hand and pointed it toward the sky with her own. “There’s venus. I don’t think I’ve ever seen it so clearly before. Do you see it?”

Eli narrowed her eyes at where Maki was pointed. She didn’t but she nodded anyway. She didn’t want Maki to grow self-conscious and stop talking. It was endearing, to see her light up with excitement. “Yeah.”

Maki smiled brightly at Eli’s answer and lowered their joined hands back to her side. “Do you know the story of Tanabata?”

Eli tried to recall it but couldn’t. “There are still a lot of Japanese stories I haven’t heard of.” She shifted her hand to entwine their fingers together. “Tell it to me?”  
  
Maki nodded slowly before beginning the story. “It’s actually from a Chinese legend called Qixi. It’s about the story of two lovers.” She supposed that was what Eli was to her now. The thought brought a blush to her cheeks. “Princess Orihime worked hard at weaving beautiful clothes down by the river which is represented as the Milky Way. Her father was a God of the Heavens. He loved his daughter dearly and arranged for her to meet Hikoboshi, the cow herder who lived on the other side of the Milky Way. The two of them fell in love and married but their love for each other ran so deep that Orihime stopped weaving and Hikoboshi allowed his cows to wander the heavens.”

Eli listened with rapt attention, more interested in the sound of Maki’s voice than the story itself. She gave a soft hum to let Maki know that she was listening when the other girl paused.

Maki took a deep breath before continuing. “Orihime’s father was angry and forbade the two of them to be together but Orihime pleaded with him. He loved his daughter so he said that the two of them could meet once a year. On the 7th day of the 7th month, only if Orihime returned to her weaving. On the first day they were meant to be reunited they both found that the river, or the Milky Way, was too hard to cross. Orihime was so upset that a flock of magpies came and made a bridge for her. It’s said that if it rains on Tanabata, the magpies won’t come and the two lovers have to wait another year to be reunited.“

Eli found herself entranced by the story and Maki’s voice. She gave the hand in her own a soft squeeze, causing Maki to look at her.

“That’s why the Japanese hope for a clear day on Tanabata.” Maki looked up at the sky again, trying to ignore the slight embarrassment she felt at having told the whole story. “Oh look, there’s Mars!”

Eli stared at Maki as the younger girl continued to ramble on about the constellations. She wished she could say she was listening but if she was honest she was too focused on how cute Maki was when she let her guard down.

Finally, Maki realized she was being ignored and turned her head to look at Eli. She was surprised to find that Eli wasn’t looking at the stars but right at her. She almost questioned whether Eli had been listening to her but it was clear that she hadn’t been. Her breath caught in her throat when Eli’s head inched toward her own.

Eli shifted close until she could rest her forehead gently against Maki’s. “You’re so cute, Maki.” She whispered, unable to keep the comment to herself any longer. It seemed that with every word Maki spoke, Eli found herself falling harder for her.

Maki blushed at the comment, several cheesy responses crossing her mind. Instead of voicing them, she leaned in and kissed Eli softly, just the slightest brush of their lips. They lingered for a moment before slowly pulling away.

“I’ll walk you home.” Eli said softly, moving to get up. She was stopped by a hand on her arm.

“Let’s stay here, just for a little while.” Maki said hopefully as Eli settled back down against her side. “I’ll tell you more about the stars.”

Eli couldn’t say no to that.

—

Nozomi numbly made her way down the hallway, having paused in the bathroom already to check herself for any sign of tears on her cheeks. There were none, though she had spent part of her morning crying into her pillow. It still smelled of Eli, which just made the whole situation worse. She couldn’t understand it, why Eli had suddenly left her. They could have worked things out. Considering how much she loved the blonde there was nothing she wouldn’t have forgiven her for.

It hadn’t come as a shock that Eli had cheated on her with Maki but that wasn’t to say it didn’t hurt. To think of the person she loved with someone else hurt her more than she could put into words. She felt as if she was crumbling and she didn’t know how to compose herself. She couldn’t help but think that maybe it had been her fault. Surely it hadn’t been their physical relationship that had been a problem. Eli always seemed to be quite pleased. Maybe Maki was just better at it than her. Or maybe Eli just found Maki to be more attractive.

She stepped into the club room and glanced around the room. She was the last one to get there. Eli was sitting next to Maki. The sight caused her to drop her bag, drawing everyone’s attention toward her.

Maki rose from her seat, her heart clenching at the sight of Nozomi standing there. “Nozomi…”

Nozomi felt as if something inside of her had snapped as her name slipped past Maki’s lips. She strode forward and drew her hand back before bring it down upon Maki’s cheek with a loud slap. The force knocked Maki’s head to the side but Nozomi couldn’t bring herself to care.

“NOZOMI!” Eli yelled over the gasp that echoed around the room. She leapt from her seat and forced herself in front of Maki, her eyes wide with surprise as she stared at her ex. “What the hell are you doing?!”

Nozomi felt the control she had over her emotions slowly begin to slip when Eli jumped to Maki’s defence. “What does it look like I’m doing?” She asked angrily, her hand stinging. She could only hope that Maki’s face hurt more. “I’m slapping the person who fucked my girlfriend!”  
  
Usually she would never use language like that, usually she would have been sickened by saying it but the sight of Maki with Eli infuriated her, made her blood boil with rage and her chest tighten with pain. 

“What?!” Nico shot to her feet and turned to gape at Maki and Eli. “Is that true?”

Eli completely ignore Nico and the others in the room. “If you want to slap someone it should be me. I went after Maki first. I’m the one who cheated on you, Nozomi. I’m the one who broke up with you.”

“Eli, it’s fine.” Maki touched Eli’s arm lightly, causing her to turn her head slightly toward her. “It’s just as much my fault as it is yours.”

Nozomi felt tears gather in her eyes. It was ridiculous, how much she had cried after Eli had broken up with her. It had only been three days and she felt as if she’d cried more during those days than she had during the rest of her life. “Elichi…” She choked on emotion. It wasn’t fair. Suddenly it seemed as though Eli’s loyalty had shifted to Maki, as if she was suddenly her girlfriend.

Eli had to bite her lip, feeling tears prickle at her own eyes. “I’m so sorry for hurting you, Nozomi. But it’s not Maki’s fault. You can’t just…”

“Whoa!” Nico jumped back into the conversation, her expression livid as she stepped forward to stand at Nozomi’s side. It seemed that everyone else in the room was too shocked to do anything at all. “You just said that you cheated on Nozomi with Maki and you’re trying to tell her what she can’t do?”

“Stay out of this, Nico.” Eli said dismissively. She wanted to talk to Nozomi, not Nico. “This isn’t your business.”

“Nozomi is my business.” Nico gripped Nozomi’s wrist as a whimper escaped her fellow third year. “I thought you loved her and you pull this?”

“I do love her!” Eli exclaimed loudly. She focused her gaze on Nozomi. “Nozomi, please. You know I love you more than anything. You’re my best friend.”

Nozomi shook her head and turned to hurry out of the room, leaving Eli standing with Maki.

“You two…” Nico wasn’t sure what to say. Nothing could describe the anger she felt toward Eli and Maki. She had half a mind to strike them herself. “Go to hell.”

With that said, she hurried out of the room, grabbing Nozomi’s bag for her on the way out.

Eli sighed heavily and turned to Maki. She placed a hand under her chin and tilted her head to examine her cheek. Their eyes locked and Eli could tell without words how hurt Maki was by the blow. Not physically but emotionally. It was Nozomi who had hit her, after all. Eli knew how close the two were. If anyone should have been slapped it should have been her.

A chair scraped against the floor as Umi stood. “Does anyone want to tell us what the hell that was about?”


	5. Chapter 5

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for the kudos and comments. Warning for angst but I think it's obvious that the entire fic's going to be angsty...

The club room was silent aside from the barely noticeable breathing of the seven girls inside. Neither Eli nor Maki answered Umi’s question and nobody else dared to speak. **  
**

Eli eyed the red hand print on Maki’s cheek. It stood out angrily against her skin and Eli felt her stomach clench with guilt. She should have been the one who was slapped, not Maki. The redhead in question was looking right at her, almost pleading with her for reassurance but Eli had nothing to give. With everyone staring at them, she couldn’t even comfort her. It would be too awkward after what had just happened.

“It’s not true is it, Eli-senpai?” Honoka’s voice was low as she stared at Eli. She didn’t understand what Nozomi was talking about. There was no way Eli would cheat. She loved Nozomi more than anything. She’d said so herself but Honoka hadn’t needed to hear that to know. It was obvious in the way the two looked at each other. “Please tell me it’s not true.”

Eli clenched her jaw in response and briefly closed her eyes. She could take yelling. She had expected it. What she couldn’t take was the disappointment in Honoka’s voice. “It’s true. I cheated on Nozomi and I broke up with her.” She had hurt her friend in unspeakable ways.

Honoka let out a shuddering breath and turned away, trying to take in the information. She smiled weakly as Kotori gently touched her shoulder.

“How could you do that to Nozomi-chan, nya?” Rin was on her feet, staring accusingly at Maki. Eli noticed her flinch in response but she was sure nobody else did. “She’s supposed to be your friend!”

“I didn’t mean to hurt her.” Maki said, doing her utmost to keep her emotions at bay. She hadn’t meant to hurt anyone but it seemed that the desire she felt toward Eli had left her ignorant to what it would do to Nozomi.

“Well you did!” Rin remarked sharply. It wasn’t a tone the rest of them were used to hearing from the first year and they gaped at her in surprise as she walked around Maki to get to the door. “Kayo-chin?”

Maki clenched her fists at her sides and looked up, pleadingly meeting Hanayo’s stare. “Hanayo…”

Hanayo took a step toward Maki, her heart clenching with sympathy for her fellow first year. She paused and looked toward the door when Rin called her name again.  No matter how much she wanted to offer Maki some kind of comfort, she couldn’t side against Rin. “I’m sorry, Maki-chan.”

Maki let out a choked sound as Hanayo moved past her, subtly squeezing her hand as she went. It was an empty gesture. If anything the attempt at comforting her only hurt her more. Rin was turning her back on her, and so was Hanayo. Her eyes stung with tears she could barely manage to hold back. She’d lost Nozomi, Rin, Hanayo, Nico…who was next?

“Maki.”

Maki felt Eli’s hand rubbing her shoulder gently and she looked up, meeting familiar blue eyes. “Don’t.” She whispered, pulling away from the gentle touch. She didn’t miss the hurt look on Eli’s face but she couldn’t bring herself to really care. She should be hurt. They both deserved it.

Umi looked between the two of them, her face aflame as she thought back to Nozomi’s accusation from just a short while ago. She quickly turned away, trying to block the mental image out. “Shameful.” She muttered under her breath.

Eli sighed and lowered her hand back to her side when it became clear that Maki wasn’t going to accept the comfort she was offering. “I should…talk to Nozomi then.” She flinched slightly when Maki looked up sharply.

“I don’t think that’s a good idea, Eli-chan.” Kotori said hesitantly. “Nozomi-chan seemed really upset. Maybe you should give her some time.”

“Besides, Nico-chan might kill you if you go near them.” Honoka commented softly, recalling how angry Nico had been a few minutes ago. She had every right to be. After seeing how hurt Nozomi was she was a bit angry herself.

At the reminder, Maki turned and fled, not trusting herself to stay in the room any longer. Tears blurring her vision, she ran all the way to the music room and slammed the door behind her. Her gaze landed on the piano, memories of her time with Eli coming back to her. She regretted sleeping with Eli while she was still with Nozomi but she couldn’t regret the action itself. That only made her feel worse. She had fallen hard for the blonde, and no matter what she did she couldn’t manage to push those feelings away.

You know I love you more than anything. You’re my best friend. The words echoed around in Maki’s head, bringing with them even more confusion. A few months ago she wouldn’t have even questioned the idea that Nozomi and Eli put each other before anyone else. Now it just hurt to think that way.

—

Nozomi glanced over her shoulder at the girl trailing after her. Nico was mumbling under her breath to herself, an irritated look on her face. She was far enough away that Nozomi couldn’t hear what she was saying but she didn’t really need to hear what was being said to know.

Sighing to herself, she made her way up the steps and continued on to the door to her apartment. She went inside, leaving the door open. She knew that Nico would just stand there and knock if she didn’t let her in.

Her bag was dropped carelessly to the floor as she wandered into the apartment, her gaze landing on her bed. The sheets still smelled like Eli. She knew that after spending the past few nights with her nose buried in her pillow. She wondered when the scent would fade. Soon probably. She would have to wash them eventually and then what would she have? Certainly not Eli, not even a trace of her would remain.

She shakily walked over to the bed and sat down on the edge of it, if only to feel closer to the ex. Her fingers gripped the duvet tightly, the fabric cool against the warmth of her skin. Her right hand still hurt from the blow she’d delivered to Maki’s face. She felt sickened by the thought of her behavior.

“Maybe I shouldn’t have…”

“Shouldn’t have what?” Nico asked as she joined Nozomi in the small room. Her own bag and blazer had been slung down next to Nozomi’s.

“I don’t hit people, especially my friends.” Nozomi whispered, her eyes fixed on her stinging hand. The coolness of the duvet had soothed it for a moment but now the fabric was warm and her hand just hurt.

Nico rolled her eyes and crossed her arms in front of her chest. “You should have slapped Eli too. I can’t believe the nerve of those two, turning up in the club room like nothing even happened.”

“I would never hurt Elichi.” Nozomi looked up and Nico could tell that she was telling the truth. It irritated her more than anything else.

“She deserves it.” She muttered, looking away. She couldn’t stand seeing that hurt look in Nozomi’s eyes. “If I was you, I would never speak to her again. She doesn’t deserve you.”

Nozomi silently shook her head. Maybe she was the one who wasn’t deserving. When Eli had become her friend she had thought she was the luckiest girl in the world. She hadn’t been able to believe that Eli would look twice at someone like her. When they’d actually started dating she had been happier than she had ever been. Happier than she ever would be. Until Eli had started acting strange around her, shooting longing looks at Maki.

“Maki-chan’s cute, I-I suppose I can understand why…” Tears formed in her eyes as she thought of what her future without Eli would be like. They had planned to go to college together, to share a dorm room. Eli had promised her she wouldn’t have to live alone any more. She’d even described what it would be like. “Elichi must be more attracted to her.”

“What?” Nico turned speechlessly toward Nozomi, her eyes wide with disbelief.

“I have big boobs but that’s all.” Nozomi muttered, gently kicking at the floor. It was easier to look at that then Nico. She had been worried that Eli wouldn’t be a fan of that particular feature and had been quick to cover herself during their first time. She had been wrong though. Eli had seemed entranced, had stared at her with nothing short of reverence. “Maki-chan is the whole package. She’s everything Elichi could want. I’m…”

“Shut up! Eli is an idiot. They both are! Just look at what they’ve done to you!” Nico exclaimed loudly, taking a step forward. She watched as Nozomi crumbled in front of her, her shoulders shaking with silent sobs. She cursed under her breath. Offering comfort wasn’t something she could do very well. She could get angry without problem, she was more than willing to put Eli and Maki through hell for what they’d done to Nozomi. But comforting was a different story.

She couldn’t just stand back and watch as Nozomi broke down in front of her though. It wasn’t like her to show her emotions in such a way and it troubled Nico deeply. She climbed onto the bed and moved to kneel behind Nozomi, her arms going tightly around her. When she opened her mouth she was surprised to find that her own voice was choked with emotion but she stubbornly pushed through it.

“Don’t worry, Nico Nico Nii is here now. I’m going to help you forget all about this and you’ll be smiling again in no time! So let’s just get that ice cream we bought out of the bag and we’ll watch a cheesy movie!”

Nozomi only cried harder at the brightly spoken words and Nico clenched her teeth. She could hardly believe how much Eli and Maki had hurt Nozomi. It wasn’t fair. “Maki should just quit.” She spat out angrily.

Nozomi turned around in Nico’s tight embrace and threw her arms around her, causing the both of them to fall back onto the bed. The movement caused her to land heavily on top of Nico, bringing their faces too close for comfort. Her leg fell between Nico’s, the skin of her thigh brushing against the other girl’s. It went unnoticed by Nozomi. It didn’t escape Nico’s attention for a second.

Nico felt her cheeks flush at the proximity. Nozomi was close. Too close. She was so close that Nico could see tears clinging to her eyelashes as she stared down at her. She wasn’t sure how she’d never noticed just how pretty Nozomi was until they were up close and Nozomi’s eyes were bright with tears.

“I just want Elichi back, Nicocchi.” Nozomi buried her face in Nico’s shoulder and sobbed quietly, the sound muffled by fabric and skin.

Nico swallowed heavily, still flustered by Nozomi’s sudden move. She couldn’t understand why Nozomi would even consider taking Eli back after what she’d done but she supposed she couldn’t understand. It wasn’t as though she’d ever been in love herself. Ignoring the fact that she felt a bit distracted by Nozomi’s close vicinity, Nico lifted her arms and carefully wrapped them around her crying friend. If, for whatever reason, Nozomi wanted Eli back, she would help her. She was determined to.

—

1 Week Later

Hanayo watched with a troubled expression on her face as Maki stood up from her desk, gathering her notes up to shove into her bag. She’d noticed the red ‘62’ scribbled on the test that had been handed back. It wasn’t like Maki to get such a low score. She was usually top of the class. She was clearly feeling out of sorts and hadn’t been sleeping enough, that much was obvious from the dark circles under her eyes. It was worrying.

Maki made a hasty retreat from the classroom and Hanayo impulsively got up to follow, leaving her stuff behind. She caught up with Maki halfway down the corridor. “Maki-chan, wait!”

Maki froze in place, surprised by Hanayo’s call. Aside from Eli, none of her friends had spoken to her much in days. Nico had, briefly, but only to point out that their friendship was over. Slowly she turned toward her, trying not to look too hopeful. “H-Hanayo?”

“I noticed you failed your last test.” Hanayo said nervously, her hands clutching at her skirt. She wasn’t sure how to talk to Maki after what had happened. “And you look tired. Are you alright?”

Maki crossed her arms in front of her chest. She would never admit it but Hanayo turning her back on her had hurt more than she could have imagined. “Do you care?”

Hanayo’s eyes widened in surprise. The idea of not caring for Maki was inconceivable to her. She loved her. She loved all of the other members. “Of course I…” She was cut off by the sound of a familiar voice.

“Why are you talking to her Kayo-chin?” Rin walked forward to stand at Hanayo’s side and Maki felt her heart drop. Nico wasn’t far behind Rin, an angry look on her face. “She doesn’t deserve it after what she did.”

Maki held her breath, trying to ignore the ache in her chest. She continued to stare at Hanayo, almost pleading with her to say something. She needed someone.

“Rin-chan, please just calm down.” Hanayo said tentatively. The urge to go and comfort Maki was almost overwhelming but Rin’s presence kept her still. She wouldn’t be able to stand siding against her best friend. “Let’s hear her out.”

Rin stared hard at Maki, her hands clenched at her sides. She didn’t quite understand the details of Maki’s offence but she could clearly see the result. “No way. What she did was disgusting.”

Maki closed her eyes at the accusation. It hurt, moreso because it was coming from one of the two people she was closest to. She meekly tried to defend herself. “You have no idea what you’re talking about, Rin.”

“Oh, she doesn’t?” Nico stalked forward, coming to a stop a few inches from Maki. Her hands were clenched, pure fury in her eyes. “Well I do. What’s she’s talking about is what you did to Nozomi. I’m the one who had to stay with Nozomi while she cried herself to sleep every night for the past week because of what you did so I know exactly what she’s talking about.” She reached up, prodding Maki in the center of her chest with a finger. “Do you even care?”

Maki’s vision blurred with tears. She cared more than she could say about how much she’d hurt Nozomi.

“I didn’t think so.” Nico snarled, taking Maki’s lack of a response as an answer. She was ignorant of the crowd that was forming around them, listening in on the conversation.

Hanayo took a shaky step forward. Even from where she was standing she could see the tears that had gathered in Maki’s bloodshot eyes. She could only imagine that Maki had been crying herself to sleep too. “Nico-chan, leave her…”

“Shut the hell up, Hanayo!” Nico snapped angrily without turning toward the timid girl. She focused her attention on Maki instead. “You’re proud of it, aren’t you? Getting one up on Nozomi. Well you did it, Maki. You stole Eli away from her just like you wanted.” She paused for a couple of seconds, looking Maki over with a hint of disgust. “You really are a slut, aren’t you? What are you, 15?”

“STOP IT, NICO-CHAN!” Hanayo yelled through tears. It was going too far, all of them were taking it too far. It was as though Maki had never even been their friend. “JUST LEAVE HER ALONE!”

Rin softened at the sight of Hanayo’s tears and reached out to grip her best friend’s wrist as she tried to take a few steps toward Nico and Maki. She wouldn’t let her get anywhere near the two of them. They were too unpredictable. If they got into a physical fight, she would be ready to pull Hanayo away from it.

“Why should I? She didn’t leave Eli alone, did she?” Nico couldn’t help but remember Nozomi’s anguished sobs from the past few nights. It only fuelled her anger. “She’s just a…” She caught sight of a flash of ginger hair out of the corner of her eye before the owner of the hair in question positioned herself between her and Maki.

Honoka looked livid as she stared Nico down. To her embarrassment, Nico found herself shrinking back. It wasn’t often that she saw Honoka enraged. “Don’t you ever call Maki-chan something like that again, Nico-chan!” She scolded irately.  
  
Maki closed her eyes, causing the tears that had built up to spill down her cheeks.   

Honoka glanced over her shoulder. It was clear that for the past week Maki had been going through a lot of emotional turmoil. The girl had barely slept for days, and Honoka had noticed that she’d had trouble functioning properly. Making herself look presentable seemed out of the question. She couldn’t imagine what the girl was like at home. She managed to hold back her emotions at school, but Honoka was sure the same thing didn’t apply when she was alone in her room, isolated from everyone and everything that could hurt her.  
  
Maki couldn’t bring herself to hope that Honoka was truly defending her. She’d hoped the same thing about Hanayo and it hadn’t worked out. She turned and rushed off down the corridor, to the safety of the music room.

Honoka turned to a startled looking Nico. “I mean it, Nico-chan. Leave her alone.” With that said, she hurried after Maki, sickened by the sound of other students whispering about what had just happened. She made it to the music room in record time, almost being hit in the face with the door as Maki slammed it shut. She managed to avoid it, just barely and slipped into the room after the younger girl.

She watched as Maki paced over to the piano and uprooted several sheets of music she had sitting there. She winced at the show of chaos. “Maki-chan…”

“What?!” Maki spun around to look at Honoka. “Why did you defend me back there, Honoka? Why did you follow me back here?” She didn’t know what Honoka could possibly want from her. She scrubbed furiously at her eyes with the sleeve of her blazer. “You heard what Nico-chan said.”

“She had no right!” Honoka exclaimed, her eyes widening at the reminder. Nico had been out of line when she’d said those things. “I’m here because I’m your friend and you’re hurting, Maki-chan.”

“You may as well hate me like the rest of them do. Even Hanayo…” Maki trailed off, her voice catching as she thought back to Hanayo’s attempted defence. As long as Rin was against her, Hanayo would be too. Her shoulders slumped slightly at the thought. “I’m done, Honoka.”

“Done?” Honoka took a few steps forward, uncertain as to what Maki meant. She thought that she knew but she didn’t want to be right.

“I’m quitting Muse. I’m just…too tired of all of this.” Maki said defeatedly. She hesitantly raised her eyes to meet Honoka’s shocked stare. “It wasn’t all about the music for me. It was about the rest of you. I loved being with my friends more than anything. Now…” Her voice cracked audibly and she looked away. “I can’t do this.”

“No. Maki-chan, you can’t just quit.” Honoka pleaded. She stepped forward and took Maki’s hands in her own. “We need you. We all need you!”

Maki stared at her hands, joined with Honoka’s. The last time she had been touched must have been a week ago. She hadn’t answered the door on the couple of occasions that the blonde had tried to see her. She didn’t feel like she deserved her comfort.

“I can’t go back there with them, Honoka.” Maki looked up, her vision once again blurry with tears. This time she couldn’t seem to hold it back and a choked sob escaped her throat. “Please don’t try to make me.” She pleaded as she looked up to meet her former leader’s sky blue hues.  

Honoka found herself speechless when confronted with Maki’s tears. “This is just a bump in the road, Maki-chan. You’re going to be okay, I promise. Quitting Muse isn’t the answer.”

“Look at me! Do I look okay? Do you honestly think I’m happy after what happened?!” Maki was hysterical by now, desperate to avoid another confrontation with Nico. She stared at Honoka with wide eyes, a distraught look upon her delicate features.  She didn’t know what to do anymore. Even her immaculate reputation was slipping from her grip.

Honoka slowly dropped Maki’s hands and glanced around the room. The whole place was in disarray. Usually Maki took such good care of it. “Was it…just once? With Eli-senpai?”

“It was so many times.” Maki remembered every time with surprising clarity. Making out with her in the music room at school and in the music room at her cabin , kissing her in Honoka’s kitchen, having her first time with her in the same music room she was standing in and finally kissing her under the stars. “I just couldn’t help myself when I was around her, I just wanted her so much.” She’d never felt like that before and she hadn’t known what to do with it. “You know, the worst part is that I don’t regret it at all. I regret what we did to Nozomi but I’ll never regret being with Eli. I think…no, I know, that I’ve fallen in love with her.”

“You’re…in love with her.” Honoka echoed in a whisper. She hadn’t expected it to be that serious. If she was honest she still expected to find Eli back with Nozomi one day.

“But I guess that doesn’t matter, huh?” Maki sank down onto the piano bench, a bitter laugh escaping her. It was clogged with tears, hardly even sounding like a laugh. “I’m not stupid. I know that Eli still loves Nozomi. I’m going to lose her too soon. I know I am.”

Honoka leaned down and hugged Maki tightly without warning. She felt Maki tense against her and prepared herself for being pushed away. Instead, she heard a soft sob close to her ear, quickly followed by another and another until Maki was crying unrestrainedly into her shoulder.  

Honoka glanced at the top of the piano, her eyes scanning the pieces of paper than had drifted over the top of it. Catching sight of sheet music she didn’t recognize, she leaned closer to look at it. Her eyes widened slightly as she acknowledged her name. Nozomi’s too. Maki must have been composing another song. Obviously one that was close to her heart.

“Oh…Maki-chan.” Honoka held Maki closer, her own eyes stinging with tears as her heart ached for the first year. She lightly placed her hand on the back of Maki’s head, her fingers absently running through her hair. “Alright. I’ll let you go.”

—

Honoka felt nothing short of drained as she made her way to the club room later that afternoon. She knew that everybody would already be waiting for her, save for Maki of course. She was fifteen minutes late after all. She let herself in and ignored the frown Umi shot her.

“Let’s get started.” She said, moving to take a seat at the table.

Eli frowned at Honoka’s suggestion. “Um…” She glanced toward Nozomi whose eyes widened when she was caught staring. “Where is Maki?”

Nozomi flinched at the question. Of course Eli would be the first to notice that Maki wasn’t there.

“I’ll go look for her.” Hanayo suggested, quickly getting to her feet. After what had happened at lunch time she was still worried about Maki. She need to make sure she was alright.

“Why bother?” Nico asked with a roll of her eyes.

“Quiet, Nico-chan!” Honoka barked irritably, causing Umi and Kotori to sit up a bit straighter, their eyes widening. She took a breath to calm herself. “Nobody needs to look for Maki-chan. She quit. I accepted her resignation from the club already.”

Hanayo sat down heavily at the news, her eyes wide with shock. She couldn’t imagine the club without Maki in it. She should have tried harder to comfort her instead of listening to Rin. She bit down hard on her lower lip, tears filling her eyes.

“ _What_?” Eli whispered, staring at Honoka through wide eyes. She had known that Maki was having troubles but she hadn’t known it was that bad.

“You just accepted that, Honoka-chan?” Kotori asked tentatively. She couldn’t imagine Honoka letting their composer quit without a good fight. “Why?”

“Because she was unhappy and I didn’t want her to suffer any more.” Honoka answered simply as she moved to take her seat next to Kotori. She sat down heavily, seeking out Kotori’s hand beneath the table. She was relieved to find that Kotori was seeking hers out too. Their fingers interlocked and she sighed heavily.

Nozomi wasn’t sure what to think. She had never wanted Maki out of the club, she just wanted Eli back. She felt guilty despite what the two had done to her. Maybe she had driven Maki out of the club.

Hanayo leaned forward slightly and began to cry quietly into her hands. The club she cherished so much was falling apart right in front of her and she couldn’t do anything about it.

Rin bristled as Hanayo cried. She turned her gaze to Nico. “You went too far Nico-chan!”

Nico had been considering the very same thing herself but the accusation had her defensive. “You’re the one who said she was disgusting!”

Rin vehemently shook her head. “Rin said that what Maki-chan did was disgusting, not that Maki-chan is disgusting, nya! You called her a slut!”

Nozomi inhaled sharply at the revelation and turned her head sharply to look at Nico. “Nicocchi?”

The sound of a chair being knocked over echoed around the room and suddenly Eli was on her feet, staring hard at Nico. “You called her that? You drove Maki to quitting the club?”

Nico leaned back in her seat, certain that Eli was going to jump the table and hit her. “That’s not fair. I didn’t tell her to quit the…” She trailed off, remembering her words to Nozomi a week ago.

_Maki should just quit._

The mere thought made Nico swallow what she was about to say. She hadn’t meant for the first year to actually quit. She was upset and wanted anything to get Nozomi to smile again. Clenching her fists Nico look toward Nozomi, only to see the disappointment in her eyes and yet the glint of relief.

“What were you thinking?!” Eli cut her off, seemingly just as riddled with guilt. Her own hands shook at her sides, fury reflecting in her eyes as she stared at her fellow third year.

“How are we supposed to go to Love Live without a composer?” Kotori asked hesitantly. Her hand ached a bit from Honoka’s tight grip but she didn’t mind so much. “We rely on Maki-chan.”

The question seemed to bring everyone back to the present. She had a point.

“Shit.” Nico muttered under her breath. Without Maki, they couldn’t go. They needed her.


	6. Chapter 6

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> TW for bullying in this chapter!

Maki sighed warily as she hitched her bag up on her shoulder. She had expected things to get easier after she’d quit µ’s but if anything, it was harder. She didn’t feel like playing piano or writing music. She couldn’t even bring herself to look at the instrument she had once loved so much, but she missed the way it felt to be included in something important. She missed having her friends.

She saw them occasionally in the hallways but hardly any of them tried to talk to her. Eli did, and Maki sometimes allowed it, her feelings for the blonde overriding her better judgement. Honoka kept trying to talk to her, and she called at least five times every evening after school but Maki never picked up. It was embarrassing to look at her after she’d broken down in the music room. She felt like she could trust Honoka but the memory of clinging to her and soaking the front of her blazer with tears was still embarrassing. She hated losing control of herself like that.

Hanayo was trying to reach out too, slipping notes under her door every day after school. She was sure Hanayo was doing it behind Rin’s back. She couldn’t stand the idea of causing trouble for the best friends.

Eli was the only bright spot in the darkness. At least she still had her, at least for now. It was selfish, but she was unwilling to give the older girl up. She could see how much it was hurting Nozomi and she wished she could bring herself to tell Eli to go back to her but she couldn’t. Maybe she was a horrible person after all.

“Hey!”

Maki looked up as a figure suddenly blocked her path. She found herself staring at three girls she didn’t recognize. Two second years and a first year. She could tell that much by their uniforms. “Yeah?” She asked wearily. She really wasn’t in the mood to help anyone with anything, she just wanted to get to her next class. She couldn’t stomach lunch, which everyone else was probably in the middle of, so she had decided to walk around for a while.

A dark haired girl, the tallest of the group scowled at her. “We heard what you did to Nozomi-senpai. Sleeping with Eli-senpai, it’s all around school.”

Maki felt her stomach plummet at the anger she could hear in the girl’s tone but she did her best to seem unaffected. Of course. She’d heard the whispers and noticed the accusatory stares. She had Nico to thank for that. “And?” She responded gruffly, narrowing her eyes at the girl. “How is that any of your business?”

“Nozomi-senpai and Eli-senpai are our business.” The shortest of the group snapped irritably. The anger on her face and the crimson of her eyes made Maki think of Nico. She had tried not to. Nico hated her more than any of the other girls, it seemed. Even Nozomi.

“You don’t even know them.” Maki said with a roll of her eyes. The three were clearly just fangirls who looked up to Eli and Nozomi. “I’m late for class, get out of my way.” She made to move past the girls only for the one who had been silent up until then to plant a hand on her shoulder and shove her back. Her back hit the wall hard, drawing the air from her lungs. Her eyes widened at the unexpected blow.

Nozomi turned the corner in time to see the shove and stopped short. She was ashamed that the thought of turning around and walking away from what was happening occurred to her. She couldn’t do that. She shouldn’t have even thought about it.

“Hey!” She paced forward toward the girl’s, doing her utmost not to look at Maki. It hurt too much to look at her and think about what she had done with Eli. She stopped at Maki’s side though and forced a smile to her face. “Is there a problem here, girls?”

“N-Nozomi-senpai!” The tallest girl exclaimed, panicked that Nozomi might have seen what they’d done to Maki. Surely she couldn’t care though. “W-we were just talking to Nishikino-san.”

“That’s not what it looked like from where I was standing.” Nozomi’s stare darkened slightly, her smile slipping just a little bit. “Don’t you have classes to get to?”

Maki straightened up, watching in shock as Nozomi rushed to her aid. What had possessed her to do that? She should have joined in with them, she should be the one who truly hated her. Not these girls or even Nico.

“Y-Yes, sorry Nozomi-senpai.” The second year said bashfully. She had never seen Nozomi look angry. She’d always been the more approachable of Eli and Nozomi. “We’ll be off.”

Nozomi watched as the three girls scurried away from her. She waited until they were out of sight before she allowed the fake smile she’d fixed to her lips to fade completely.

“Nozomi…” Maki carefully stepped forward but she was careful not to get too close. She hadn’t spoken to Nozomi since the older girl had slapped her in the club room. She was almost afraid that Nozomi would hit her again but this was her chance to reach out. Possibly the only chance she would get. “I…”

Nozomi started to walk away and Maki felt a wave of panic. She reached forward and grabbed the back of Nozomi’s blazer, forcing her to a stop.

“Please just listen to me.” She said hurriedly. “Eli loves you. She’s going to leave me for you soon, I just know it. I don’t even think she loves me. What happened between us, it was just…physical, I think. She…”

_“I love you…so much, Nozomi.”_

The memory of their first time came rushing back to her and she clenched her fists at her side. She wondered if Eli had whispered those kinds of feelings to Maki. She wondered if Eli had been as sweet and conscious of the fact that it was Maki’s first time as she had during theirs. There hadn’t been a second when Nozomi hadn’t felt loved.   
  


_“I love you more than anything, Nozomi. I always will.”_

Nozomi squeezed her eyes shut against the tears that filled them. It couldn’t be true. Whatever Eli had told her was obviously a lie. If she really did love her she wouldn’t have cheated on her. Or maybe she did love her but it was platonic. It hadn’t felt that way whenever Eli had touched her intimately though.

She wrenched herself free of Maki’s grip and hurried away down the corridor, tears blurring her vision. It wasn’t fair for Maki to say those things and to get her hopes up. She couldn’t let herself think that Eli would come back to her. It would crush her if she didn’t.

Maki watched in frustration as Nozomi walked away. She was never good with words. Maybe she should’ve said something different. She always had trouble when it came to saying what’s on her mind. She lifted her arm and rubbed the back of her shoulder. It was sorer than she had expected it to be. She had barely felt the collision with the wall because she’d been so shocked.

—

Nozomi watched as Nico worked in the kitchen, humming softly to herself. “Have you decided to move in here or something?” She asked quietly, crossing her arms in front of her chest.

Nico glanced over her shoulder at Nozomi and eyed the oversized sweater she was wearing. Or it would have been if it was the right size for her. “Is that Eli’s?”

“Maybe.” Nozomi answered vaguely. It still smelled like her, somehow. She was glad Eli had left it there with her, otherwise she’d have nothing.

“I’m taking care of you.” Nico finally answered Nozomi’s first question. “It’s not like I’ve moved in here permanently. You just can’t take care of yourself so I’m doing it for you.”

“Don’t you have siblings to take care of?” Nozomi joined Nico in the small kitchen and looked over her shoulder. “What are you making?”

“Nikujaga.” Nico said, looking back at what she was doing. She didn’t want to risk it overcooking. “You need me more than my siblings do right now anyway. They’re fine with my mom and it’s not like I don’t seem them often.”

Nozomi was silent for a few minutes, watching as Nico stirred the food she was making. She vaguely noticed that Nico’s hair was down for once but she didn’t comment. It was nice to see her so relaxed. “I’m not hungry.” She finally spoke. She hadn’t much felt like eating. It was like the food got stuck in her throat whenever she tried.

“That’s too bad. You’re still eating it.” Nico turned the heat down and turned around to give Nozomi her full attention for a few minutes. “You need to take better care of yourself. Come on, get a grip. You’re just proving my point about you needing me more than my siblings.”

Nozomi was silent and Nico sighed heavily. She knew that Nozomi was heartbroken. She even hurt on behalf of her friend but there was only so much she could take. “Look…” She strolled over to her and reached up to toy gently with the end of Nozomi’s braid. After Nozomi had gotten home from school, she had styled it that way to get it out of the way. “Just try, alright? I know you’re a mess right now but this isn’t you. Acting so pathetic, wearing her clothes…it’s ridiculous. You’re stronger than this. You’re better than either of those two. So just stop wallowing and buck up, alright?”

Nozomi blinked at Nico in surprise. “You’re as blunt as ever, Nicocchi.”

Nico rolled her eyes. “I have to be with someone as hardheaded as you.” She reached up and flick Nozomi’s forehead, earning a slight wince. “See? You didn’t used to be such a baby.” She offered a small smile. “You still have me. I’m not going anywhere.” She leaned up on her tiptoes and gently pressed her lips to the place she had flicked a moment earlier.

Nozomi felt herself relax under the touch, the ache that seemed to constantly reside in her chest now easing slightly. She lifted her hands and placed them on Nico’s cheeks, gently drawing her to eye level. Nozomi never noticed just how clear and pretty Nico’s eyes truly were. They were like jewels shining so brightly with hidden emotion.

“When did Nicocchi get this soft?” She teased, a genuine smile tugging at her lips. “You’ve been even more smitten around me than usual, Nicocchi. It’s really adorable.”

“Idiot.” Nico whispered, though she couldn’t deny the way her heart soared. She had put that smile on Nozomi’s face. Not Eli or anyone else. She had. She lifted her hand, gently tapping her fingers against those soft, smiling lips before her hand dropped between them. “Keep doing this, alright? I don’t like seeing you upset.”

Maybe she  getting too soft, but she couldn’t help it. Maybe it was because of seeing Nozomi so upset and pathetic. Yeah, that’s what it was.

“If that’s what Nicocchi wants.” Nozomi shifted her hands on Nico’s cheeks to gently brush her bangs back from her face. Gently brushing soft almost baby like skin upon the pads of her fingers. She watched as a blush spread across Nico’s cheeks in response. Crimson eyes lowered for a few seconds before rising to meet hers again.

Not another word was spoken between the two as their eyes locked. Slowly, they inched in until their eyes fluttered shut and their lips came into contact.

It was warm. It made Nozomi feel safe. It was also different, the girl before her was usually so rough and blunt when it came to how she treated people when she wasn’t wearing her idol persona. Yet out of all the masks the shorter girl wore, she knew at this moment that Nico was bare, that she was completely open within this kiss.

Tilting her head a bit Nozomi leaned even further into the girl placing her hands gently upon Nico’s slender waist pulling her closer. Nico took that chance to wrap her arms around Nozomi’s shoulders, her hand gripping the material of the girl’s clothing. Her heart beat uncontrollably at the sensation of her very first kiss. It wasn’t the situation she had imagined when she’d thought about it but of all the people it could have been with, she was glad it was Nozomi.

Slowly, Nozomi drew back from the kiss, her arms falling around Nico’s waist. She wasn’t sure why she had kissed her, and for a moment she was sure Nico would be annoyed. When the smaller girl merely opened her eyes and smiled at her before going back to cooking, she allowed herself to relax though.

“I suppose I could eat something.” She said as she watched Nico turn the heat back up. She couldn’t help but allow herself to linger. Hearing Nico humming softly as she continued to cook them dinner. Nozomi, for the first time in a week felt secure. Happy almost. Maybe she could stop thinking about Eli for a while, with Nico around she sure believed she could try.

She listened to Nico humming as she continued to cook dinner and allowed her thoughts to drift. She was still bothered by what she had interrupted that afternoon, with Maki and those girls. It had looked like nothing short of bullying from her point of view. She shook her head at the thought. She didn’t want to think about that, or Maki’s words, or how much she needed Eli back. For once, she just wanted to be selfish and focus on herself.

With that in mind Nozomi strolled up behind the other third year and placed her arms around her. A startled squeak was rewarded as the smaller girl pouted at her. Nozomi just giggled before leaning in and gently kissing Nico’s cheek. After, she allowed her head to fall between the crook of her left shoulder. Breathing softly she could hear Nico’s heartbeat. She wondered if she was the one who caused it? Maybe there was more to Nico’s care. That kiss certainly made if feel that way.   
  
“You smell good.” She whispered softly against silk skin as she tightened her hold. “When do you think it will be done?”

She pulled away at that and stepped away from the girl who seemed to have been frozen by the weird encounter.

“I’m going to go change, you’re right that I need to stop wallowing. Thanks Nicocchi, you’re a great friend.”

—

Maki had ducked out for lunch again, preferring to spend the time on her own. She hadn’t failed to notice Hanayo’s concerned glance but she had ignored it. Just before she’d left the room she’d noticed Rin distract Hanayo anyway. She had expected as much but it still hurt that Rin didn’t seem to care about her at all.   
  
There were a few girls in the hallway and when they spotted her they began whispering and giggling. Maki steeled herself and continued on her way. She had put up with the whispers for long enough but they still bothered her. Spotting a familiar poster on the far right wall, she walked over to it, her brow furrowing slightly. Her heart plummeted when she realized what it was. A poster of her in her cutie panther outfit, only the word ‘slut’ was scrawled across it in large letters. She tore it from the wall, feeling slightly nauseous. She spotted another a few feet away, this one with the word ‘whore’ written on it. There were a lot of them. More than she could tear down. Feeling like she was going to be physically ill, she took off running to the bathroom.

She stumbled inside, the posters still clenched in her fist. She allowed them to drop from her hand and shakily stood there, letting her stomach calm itself. She went to splash some water on her face to calm herself further. She felt like her skin was crawling with disgust at the lengths to which these girls would go just to get back at her. It wasn’t their business. The door opened and closed but she didn’t pay any attention to until one of the people who’d walked in spoke.

“I see you found our posters, Nishikino.”

Maki straightened up quickly, her eyes widening at the sight of the three girls from yesterday. “What the hell do you want?” She asked, taking a cautious step back as she wiped water from her eyes. “Nozomi told you to leave me alone, didn’t she?”

Nozomi wasn’t there to save her from whatever would happen now.

“She didn’t really mean that.” The one who had shoved her last time spoke. “As if she doesn’t want someone to get back at you after what you did. Her and Eli-senpai were perfect together.”

Maki gathered herself up to full height. She was a Nishikino. She wouldn’t be intimidated by these girls. “Clearly not.” She argued, forcing her voice not to waver despite how nervous she was about these obviously delusional girls being near her.

The taller girl scowled at the answer and paced forward, grabbing Maki’s bag from her.

“Hey, give that back!” Maki tried to make a grab for her bag only for the collar of her blazer to be grabbed by the girl who’d shoved her last time. She was forced back against the wall, held in place by the girl.

“You’re quite the slut aren’t you, Nishikino? Just like Nico-senpai said you were.” The girl opened Maki’s bag despite her audible protests. “What’s this…?” She withdrew Maki’s yellow notebook and began to go through it.

“Stop it, that’s private!” Maki struggled against the girl holding only to be stopped with a firm blow to the gut. She coughed, doubling over slightly but she knew it hadn’t been enough to cause any real damage. She watched as the girl smirked as she read some of the lyrics.  _Her_  lyrics. Her thoughts and feelings. “Please, just give it back.”

“Oh, this is pretty important to you, huh?” The girl held the notebook up in front of her and began to tear the pages up, little pieces of paper falling to the ground. The door opened as she was doing so and Hanayo walked in with a pile of posters in her arms.

“Maki-chan…” Hanayo froze at the sight of her friend being held against the wall by a girl she didn’t recognize. She took in what was happening and gasped sharply as she realized what was being torn up. “Hey!” She hurried forward, dropping the pile of posters she’d torn from the walls earlier and snatched Maki’s notebook from the girl’s grasp. “Stop it!”

“Hanayo, just get out!” Maki exclaimed only to be pressed harder into the wall. She gasped in pain but continued to stare imploringly at Hanayo. She wouldn’t allow her to be hurt because of her. There was no way. “I’ll be fine!”

“Are you sleeping with her too?” The shorted girl asked sharply. “You really are a slut, Nishikino.”

“Maki-chan isn’t a slut!” Hanayo was trembling in fear but she refused to leave. How could she when this was happening to Maki? Spotting Maki wince again, she rushed forward and shoved the girl holding her. She was surprised - she had never shoved anyone before really - but she didn’t show it. She pushed Maki into the nearest stall and locked the door behind them.

Maki was trembling too. Hanayo could tell that because of their close proximity. The stall was small, allowing them barely any room but she got the impression that Maki would have been that close even if there’d been as much space as they had in the club room. Maki’s arms were around her, Hanayo’s shirt bunched up in tightly clutching fists.

Someone banged on the door to the stall, causing Maki to jump. Hanayo did too but she quickly shushed Maki, reaching up to gently bring Maki’s head down to her shoulder. She was scared, terrified even, of what would happen if the girls managed to open the door. The lock was so flimsy. It could easily be broken, couldn’t it? She tried her best not to think about that despite the corners of her eyes prickling.

Thankfully the girls seemed to get bored after a few seconds and they left, the door closing behind them.

Hanayo felt Maki release a breath against her neck and suddenly the taller girl’s knees buckled. They both ended up on the ground, Hanayo’s arms tightly around Maki’s as the redhead clung to her. She caught the sound of a whimper, quickly followed by another and another until Maki was sobbing unreservedly into her shoulder. Her eyes went wide. She had never seen Maki like this before. She always seemed to be so in control.

“Maybe they’re right, Hanayo.” Maki’s grip on Hanayo was tight as she spoke through her tears. She couldn’t even consider letting go of her. “Maybe I am just a slut. You should just leave me.”

Hanayo shook her head vigorously in response. “Don’t ever think that. You’re not anything they say you are. You made a mistake, that’s all.” She drew back slightly, her own eyes damp with tears. “I’m so sorry I wasn’t here before. I’m not going to leave you again, Maki-chan. I’m here, I promise.”

The promise only made Maki cry harder. She didn’t deserve to have Hanayo support her. She didn’t deserve to have Nozomi defend her like she had. She didn’t fight as her head was gently guided back to Hanayo’s shoulder, she just curled further into her.

—

Rin stared down at the pieces of paper on the bathroom floor, having silently entered when the three girls had left. She’d heard what had happened in the bathroom but she had decided to hang back for a couple of moments. When she’d been about to enter, the girls had walked out. Several more posters were clenched in her fist. They were just the ones she’d ripped down on her way from class after deciding to follow Hanayo. She listened intently to every whimper and choked sob from Maki. She had been angry with her, that went without saying but those girls had hurt her friend. They’d called her names and destroyed something important to her.

Rin clenched her fists at her side. It wasn’t fair, even considering what Maki had done to Nozomi. Nobody should be bullied, let alone her friends. It just wasn’t acceptable.

She knelt down, narrowing her eyes at one of the small pieces of torn paper.  _Ga hoshizora kakete_. Her eyes widened as she realized she was reading lyrics she had never seen before. Maki must have been writing them. She picked up the small piece of paper and closed her fist around it, drawing it close to her chest.

_“Maybe they’re right, Hanayo. Maybe I am just a slut. You should just leave me.”_

Rin’s eyes snapped open at the word Maki used to refer to herself. That girl, the one from before had called her that and Hanayo had bravely defended Maki. She would expect nothing less of her best friend.

_“Don’t ever think that. You’re not anything they say you are. You made a mistake, that’s all.”_

Rin heard the telltale hitch in Hanayo’s words that let her know she was crying.

_“I’m so sorry I wasn’t here before. I’m not going to leave you again, Maki-chan. I’m here, I promise.”_

Rin got to her feet, her hand still closed around the piece of paper. Hanayo was doing something, she was comforting Maki. There was no way Rin would sit back and allow those girls to hurt one of her friends. Anger coursing through her, she marched toward the door and left the bathroom.

Hanayo looked up as she heard the door slam shut. She almost feared that those girls were back but she didn’t hear anything. “Did you hear that?”

Maki didn’t give a response and Hanayo frowned in confusion. She shifted, which only caused Maki to hold on tighter. Tilting her head she found that Maki’s eyes were closed, her breathing evened out.

“Oh.” She said quietly, her frown slipping away. “How could you fall asleep in a place like this?” The answer was obvious. Maki hadn’t been sleeping well lately. Hanayo had already known that.

Maki looked content in her sleep. Hanayo wasn’t sure why seeing Maki so at ease made her feel happy. Maybe because she knew how much her friend had been hurting over the past week. Her position on the floor was uncomfortable but she couldn’t bring herself to wake Maki. “Five more minutes won’t hurt.”

She sat there for what she supposed must have been another five or ten minutes before she gently shook Maki to rouse her. The redhead’s eyes fluttered open and for a moment she looked confused.

“Let’s go to class. We’re going to be late.” Hanayo said gently. She stood up, somewhat awkwardly in the cramped space of the stall and unlocked the door. She waited until Maki was on her feet too before she stepped outside. She winced at the sight of the paper from Maki’s notebook on the floor. She had taken the notebook back but the damage had already been done.

Maki stepped out from the stall and looked down at the posters and the remnants of her notebook. “Don’t worry about it.” She leaned down to pick her bag up and gratefully took the notebook Hanayo held out to her. She slipped it back into her bag. “If I ever need those lyrics again they’re not just on paper.”  
  
Hanayo was tempted to question her but she resisted the urge. She picked up the posters and forced them into the trash where they belonged. “Let’s go, Maki-chan.”

Maki followed Hanayo out of the bathroom and down the hallway. She was surprised to find there were no posters in sight now. Hanayo must have taken them all down. She shot a grateful look at Hanayo as they walked. The other first year had been nothing short of brave when she’d confronted those girls in the bathroom.

They made it to the classroom and stepped inside together. Maki tensed at the whispers that greeted her from the other students as well as the scowl from the teacher. They were obviously a few minutes late at least. Hanayo’s hand went to her arm though, a silent reassurance that she was there with her, and Maki managed to make it into the room.

Rin looked up as they entered, her eyes softening when she noticed them. Hanayo obviously wasn’t worried about what Rin would say any more. She shouldn’t be.

Rin’s stare darkened again as she thought back to the girls in the bathroom. She wasn’t going to let them get away with it, she just had to wait until she ran into them again and then she’d give them a piece of her mind. After school.

Maki’s gaze found Rin and she flinched at the annoyed look on her face. She didn’t want to come between Hanayo and Rin. She felt a hand close around hers and squeezed it back as she made her way toward her seat with Hanayo. She only let it go when they were forced to part to sit down at their own desks. She didn’t dare look at Rin again.

Rin, who was staring at the clock, didn’t notice anything amiss.


	7. Chapter 7

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Warning: Some angst and violence in this chapter!

Hanayo quickly gathered her books from her desk and slipped them back into her bag, keeping a close eye on Maki to make sure she didn’t bolt toward the door. She had been for the past week, apparently wanting to leave school as quickly as she possibly could. Today before she could even get to her feet, Hanayo was at her side, smiling brightly.

“Let’s go home together, Maki-chan.” Hanayo suggested, throwing her bag over her shoulder.

Maki cast a concerned look at Rin. “What about Rin?” Considering the look she had been given earlier, Rin was still angry with her. It was understandable.

“Don’t worry.” Hanayo turned on her heel so that she was facing Rin’s desk. “Rin-chan, you’ll walk with us won’t you?”

Rin, who had just finished gathering up her books, simply shook her head but didn’t look in Hanayo’s direction. “I’m busy tonight, nya. I’ll see you tomorrow, Kayo-chin.”

She turned and hurried out of the room, leaving a concerned Hanayo and a troubled looking Maki behind. She ducked quickly out of the classroom and rushed down the corridor, intent on finding those girls who’d been bullying Maki. She knew exactly who they were so it wouldn’t be hard to track them down. She turned the corner only to collide with something soft. She stumbled back a couple of steps and raised her eyes to find Nozomi staring back at her.

“Rin-chan? Why are you in such a hurry?”  The third year asked curiously. She didn’t see any reason Rin would be rushing around. They didn’t have anything planned as far as she knew.

“Nozomi-chan.” Rin said, her stomach churning with guilt. She hoped she wasn’t betraying Nozomi in some way by defending Maki. “It’s nothing. I was just on my way home, nya.”

“Oh.” Nozomi answered as she raised an eyebrow, clearly not believing anything the usually energetic girl was saying. “Don’t you usually walk home with Hanayo-chan?”

“Ahh…um…” Rin couldn’t keep what she had seen to herself any longer. “Something really bad happened during lunch, nya. M-Maki-chan was being bullied horribly, nya! They put up these awful posters of her and…and Kayo-chin protected her, Rin only listened outside…they deserve to be punished nya!” Just speaking about what she’d heard while she’d been standing outside of the bathroom made the first year grit her teeth. She wanted to destroy them for hurting Maki.

Nozomi listened intently to Rin’s recap of what had happened, her brow furrowing in concern. She didn’t find it hard to believe. She remembered watching it happen a few days ago too, when Maki had been cornered by three girls. “I’ll take care of it, Rin-chan, don’t worry.”

Rin frowned as Nozomi patted her shoulder before she turned and walked away. “But Rin wants to help, nya!”

Nozomi waved Rin off in response, seeing no reason to get her involved. She didn’t want the girls to turn on her too. She walked down the corridor, keeping her eye out for the girls until she reached the bathroom. Stepping inside, her eyes widened at the sight of a couple of posters and bits of paper scattered across the floor. It seemed that the trash can was stuffed full of the posters too. She bent to pick one of them up and stared in shock at the word scrawled across Maki’s picture.

Nico had called Maki that, Nozomi remembered Rin telling everyone in the club room. It was obviously Nico’s fault that the rumours had spread. How could she be angry with her though when Nico had only said those things in an attempt to defend Nozomi? She sighed, unknowingly clenching her fist around the paper. No matter what Maki had done, those girls were taking it too far.

She crumpled the poster into a ball, irritation coursing through her. She needed to tell someone. Nico at least. The other third year needed to fix what she had done. She considered telling Eli. Surely if the two were dating Eli would be concerned about her wellbeing. She shook the thought off. She would decide that later.

She crouched down to examine the small pieces of paper on the floor and tentatively picked a couple up, examining the words on them. Her heart stilled  in her chest when she realized she was looking at Maki’s notebook. Or what remained of it anyway. Discarding the poster she’d crumpled up she hurriedly picked up every little piece she could find and put them into her pocket. She was still upset with Maki, could hardly consider even looking at her but she couldn’t let this go on.

When she was finished picking up the pieces of paper, she made her way out of the bathroom and bumped right into the last person she wanted to see. Or maybe the person she wanted to see most of all. It hurt to look at her, but what difference did it make when it hurt to be apart from her too?

“Elichi…”

Eli blinked at Nozomi in confusion for a moment before she seemed to realize they had bumped into each other. “Oh…sorry. I wasn’t paying attention to where I was going.” She sheepishly rubbed the back of her neck. She hadn’t been able to concentrate for the past few days, her mind on other things. Or rather, people. Maki and Nozomi seemed to be all she thought about.

“It’s fine, I wasn’t either.” It was awkward, so unbearably uncomfortable that Nozomi could hardly stand it. She looked Eli over, taking in the tiredness in her face. Even with that she still looked exceptional. “Can we talk? In private?”

Eli hesitated for a moment, glancing around. It was private enough in the corridor but she supposed ducking into a classroom might be for the best. “Sure.” She reached out instinctively, her fingers just barely skimming Nozomi’s hand before she realized what she was doing. She almost pulled her hand back but Nozomi grabbed it before she could.

Eli couldn’t deny that the touch had been missed and she found herself unable to pull away after that. She tugged Nozomi down the corridor, into a free classroom. It was only when she closed the door behind them that she let go of Nozomi’s hand.

The loss of her touch made Nozomi feel cold suddenly. She pulled her hand to her chest before taking a breath. She then placed them behind her back, clasping the feeling of Eli’s warmth that emitted from one hand with the other that was still chilled by the air of the cool room they were in.  She then walked over to one of the desks and placed her hand upon it, trying her best to ignore the beauty with her whom seemed just as lost as she was.

“So how have you been? I mean you don’t have to tell me, I’m sure you’re busy with Maki-chan, right?” Nozomi questioned with a hint of envy in her tone, but covered it with one of her usual small smiles that she’d practiced over the years. It was much more forced than usual. “You two must be hanging out a lot hm?”

“Um…not really.” Eli answered uncomfortably. Maki had been avoiding her, that much was obvious. All she wanted was to offer some comfort yet she felt like she was pushed away every time she tried. “It’s kind of complicated.”

“Right.” Nozomi glanced around the classroom. Talking to Eli used to be easy. Much easier than this. She didn’t know what to say next or how to act around the blonde. Was she supposed to be angry with her? She was, but she was mostly saddened about what had become of their relationship. Her free hand slipped into the pocket of her blazer, the paper she’d shoved inside brushing against her fingers. “This is a bit awkward, isn’t it?”

“I’m sorry.” Eli answered quietly. She carefully inched forward. It would probably be more tense if she stayed glued to the door. “Really, Nozomi. I-I want to apologize for hurting you. I know that I did and I probably still am. It’s the last thing I wanted. I meant what I said. No matter what happens I’ll still love you more than anyone else.”

Nozomi looked away, her eyes stinging. Damn Eli and the way she always managed to get to her. “I don’t believe you.”

The words hurt more than Eli would have thought they would but she tried not to show. “I understand.” She said, her voice strained. “But it’s still true.”

Nozomi turned her gaze back to Eli, staring at her closely for a minute. If Eli loved her more than anyone else it didn’t make sense for her to choose someone else over her, did it?

“If it’s true, why did you cheat on me?” She asked, forcing herself to be blunt. She remembered Nico’s words from a few days ago. She should be angry at Eli, she should be furious even. “Obviously you love her more.”

“That’s…” Eli trailed off, closing her eyes tightly for a moment. She didn’t know how she could explain the difference in her feelings for the two of them. “Complicated…It’s hard to even begin to explain…”

“How is it complicated?” Nozomi was baffled at what was being said. She didn’t want to know that Eli actually had feelings for Maki but it was hard not to think that with what she was saying. She couldn’t imagine having feelings for anyone but Eli.

“It just is! Emotions are not that simple Nozomi. I can’t just tell you how I feel.” It was frustrating, not being able to say what she wanted to say. “It’s not that easy.”

For the first time, Nozomi felt herself growing irritated with Eli. Was it too much to ask for an explanation? Eli was acting as if someone else was to blame. She opened her mouth to snap out an answer but bit her lip quickly, not wanting to say something she’d regret. She moved forward, ready to storm out of the room but stopped just behind Eli instead.

“Do you miss me at all?” She asked, trying to keep her voice from trembling. She missed Eli terribly, to the point where the thought of her drove her to tears. She tried to hide them from Nico now because she knew what her friend thought about Eli but she couldn’t help it.

A lump formed in Eli’s throat and for a moment she found it hard to speak. “I do.” She finally managed though her voice came out choked with emotion. Being apart from Nozomi was painful but she only had herself to blame. “I miss you so much. More than you can imagine.”

Nozomi’s eyes filled with tears at the answer. She didn’t know what she had expected, asking Eli that. “I feel empty without you, like I can’t breathe when I think about you with someone else. Does it feel that way for you?” She walked off without another word and let herself out of the classroom.

Eli cursed under her breath as she heard the door close behind Nozomi. Her chest ached as she listened to Nozomi’s words. It was unfair. She also felt that way. Empty, as though something vitally important was missing. She just couldn’t tell her that.

—

The second she got home Maki ran upstairs to her room. She discarded her jacket, blouse and skirt and traded them for a more comfortable pair of dark blue jeans and a fitted grey sweater. She walked over to her mirror before patting her cheeks gently to snap herself out of her fragile state of mind. What had happened earlier was one of the scariest moments of her life. She had honestly feared that those girls were going to beat her up. She was lucky Hanayo had bravely jumped to her defence.

It felt like her life was spiraling out of control. Maki turned on her heel and picked up her school bag. She pulled out her notebook, her breath hitching. All those precious words had just been torn so carelessly. All the feelings of joy were now shattered in front of her eyes. She growled as she thought about those girls who’d confronted her. She threw the book to the ground, a whimper escaping her. She didn’t know what she was going to do. She crumbled to her knees, tears blurring her vision.

Thoughts of Hanayo filled her mind. She hadn’t expected the usually timid girl to act in the way she had, going so far as to shove one of the girls away from her. She had been brave, braver than Maki had felt. To have Hanayo back, as her friend was more than Maki could have hoped for.

Rin, on the other hand Maki felt uneasy about. The memories of the usually happy go lucky girl was tarnished by the images of the girl’s serious expression and darkened eyes. She had looked so annoyed in the classroom. Maki was sure Rin was upset at her, there was no doubt about that. But why didn’t she walk home with Hanayo? Rin would never leave her best friend alone. It was strange. Maki hated to think that she might be coming between the two.

Her thoughts were cut short, as she heard the door slamming and the familiar heavy but soft footsteps of her father coming in. Maki’s eyes widened. Her father usually came home late. It was unusual for him to come home early.

Maki felt her heart drop. She had a terrible feeling that her father was home early because he wanted to talk to her. Which could only mean one thing. Her father must be upset with her. 

The memories of her father being mad at her had always terrified Maki. She had always done everything in her power to not disappoint him or her mother.  She would constantly keep ahead of her grades. Go to all those banquets, meet the sons of some of her father’s colleagues.  Behave properly and never talk back. She was the perfect heiress.

That is until she started Muse. Her father was against it at first, until her mother convinced him it was only a ‘high school’ phase. That afterwards she would walk the path in becoming the doctor she was born to be and go to medical school.

She sighed. It wasn’t as if she hates her father, as a matter of fact she loved him, she just didn’t want to disappoint him. She was after all his pride and joy.

The call of her name made Maki flinch as she got up from the floor, her heart beating heavily as she walked over to her door and walked out.  She took several deep breaths as she continued to make her way to the stairs. Her heart raced with panic as she met the unreadable expression on the  bespectacled man. His coat was still on and his stature was rigid and straight.  He was definitely angry.

“Maki, I would like to talk to you in the living room please.”

That was not the tone of a father greeting his daughter. That was a tone of a professional wanting to speak to his client. At that moment Maki felt even more nervous than she did in the bathroom. “Yes…Papa.”

He didn’t say a single word as he left the hallway and made his way to the living room. Maki followed close behind him. She felt her hands shaking and she quickly grasped them together in front of her.  She let her eyes wander towards her mother who also had a solemn expression donning her features.

She proceeded to walk down the stairs and into the living room, taking a seat opposite the head doctor.

“Maki, I know you got a 62 on your last math test? A subject I know for sure you exceed in?” Her father’s voice was deep as he spoke, his eyes still unrecognizable. It made Maki look down, a frown forming upon her lips.

“Yes sir…I did. But I’m not apart of the idol group anymore, I–” She began but was cut off by her father.

“I don’t care if you are not, you’ve gotten a grade you aren’t suppose to. Maki you have been acting strangely and someone from the hospital whose daughter goes to your school gave me quite some interesting information.”

Maki froze mid sentence as she looked up at her father, her fingernails digging further into the cushion of her chair. “What..?” She couldn’t understand what was happening. The rumors couldn’t have gotten that far…

“One of my colleagues told me that I should be keeping an eye on you? Says that you are quite the troublemaker at Otonokizaka? Is that true?” Her father raised a questioning eyebrow at her. He couldn’t find any sense in the words and had told his colleague as much. Maki had never been a troublemaker. “We have a reputation to uphold, Maki. If you slip again I’ll have no choice but to disown you from this family.”

Maki suddenly felt nauseous with panic. Out of the corner of her eye she could see her mother anxiously wringing her hands. “I won’t do it again, it was just one time. I…”

“That’s not all.” Her father cut in, his voice raising in volume slightly to be heard over her. “I’ve heard that you’ve had…relations with another girl. Ayase Eli, while she was in a relationship with someone else. My colleague was told that you pursued her until she relented to your wishes.”

Maki gaped at her father in shock. “No, that’s not what happened. I did…we were together for a little while but I didn’t pursue her.” If anything it had been the other way around but she didn’t dare tell her father that. She didn’t want him to be angry with Eli too. “It wasn’t like that.”

“You expect me to believe it was the other way around? She’s the student council president, Maki!”

“Jin, please.” Maki’s mother stepped in as Maki’s lower lip began to tremble. “I’m sure Maki isn’t completely to blame for all of this. When you’re young things just happen.”

“Not for our family!” Maki’s father exclaimed loudly, turning his attention to his wife. “Where were you when all of this was going on anyway?”

Feeling sick, Maki quickly got to her feet and ran for the stairs. Neither her mother nor her father noticed as they began to argue. By the time she’d reached the bathroom, her stomach had settled but she slumped to the floor anyway, resting her forehead against the cool tile floor as she clutched her stomach. She could still hear her parents arguing, their voices getting louder by the second. The sound of a slam caused her to jump. She thought for a moment that her father had stormed off but the arguing barely faltered.

Unable to listen anymore, she pushed herself to her feet and rushed back down the stairs, the tears that blurred her vision almost causing her to trip. She grabbed her coat and hastened out of the house, barely noticing a maid watching in concern.

Her phone was still clutched in her hand but she couldn’t bring herself to use it. She just ran, not stopping until she was outside of Hanayo’s house, clutching her side and panting. The tears that had slipped from her eyes had dried on her cheeks, making her face feel sticky. Slowly catching her breath, she looked up at the window on the second floor and caught sight of Hanayo through it. She was deep in thought, nodding her head to something. She probably had earphones in.

Maki glanced at the tree next to the window and made up her mind. She needed to get in there. Taking a deep breath that hurt her still smarting side, she stepped forward and began to climb the tree. She was unpracticed and she slipped more than a few times, even scraping her knee against the bark but she finally made it up, her desperation pushing her. She rapped on the window and watched as Hanayo glanced up, her eyes wide with alarm.

“Maki?” Hanayo’s hand moved to her chest. Maki could only imagine that her heart was beating frantically at the scare. She waited until Hanayo opened the window before she ducked inside, Hanayo grabbing her arms to help her. Maki almost toppled backwards when her foot caught on the ledge but Hanayo gave a strong pull, yanking her forward. Together they toppled to the floor, Maki on top of the smaller girl.

The familiar warmth and scent took away the last of her self control and she dissolved into tears, her face buried in Hanayo’s chest.

Surprised, Hanayo could only lift her arms to embrace Maki, gently rubbing her back as she cried. She wasn’t used to seeing Maki so emotional, much less twice in one day.

After a few long minutes Maki calmed down and pulled away from the girl below. She noticed that Hanayo had her glasses on. It alarmed Maki to look up at the girls alarm clock and see how late it was. “I’m sorry, I didn’t know where else to go.”

Hanayo shook her head as she watched Maki stand up. She gratefully accepted the hand offered to her and allowed herself to be tugged to her feet. She looked Maki over with a smile, noticing the dirt on her face and hands. “It’s not like you to act like such a tomboy, Maki-chan.” Usually Maki was pristinely clean at all time, the image of perfection. It was odd to see her so dirty. “Maybe you should take a bath.”

Maki managed a small smile at the kindness being shown. She should have expected it from Hanayo. “Thank you, Hanayo.”

—

Maki stared into the depths of the water a short while later, having cleaned herself off then gotten into the warm water in the bath. She couldn’t help but think of all of the trouble she had caused over the past couple of weeks. If it wasn’t for her, Eli and Nozomi would have still been together, her parents wouldn’t be arguing. They would all be a lot better off without her.   
  
She wasn’t sure how long she sat there but after a while a knock sounded at the door and she flinched slightly. The water was much colder than before.

“Maki-chan?”

Maki relaxed when she realized it was just Hanayo on the other side of the door. “Just a minute!” She called back, pushing herself up. She stepped out of the bath and got a towel to dry herself with. She did so quickly and changed into the clothes Hanayo had insisted she lend. They were a bit small for her but they were clean and the comforting smell of her friend lingered on them so she wasn’t about to complain.

She stepped out of the room and watched with a hint of embarrassment as Hanayo looked her over with an approving smile. A moment later her hand was grabbed and she found herself being pulled back into the bedroom to Hanayo’s bed. She found herself being pushed to sit down and she did so without argument. It was pointless to try to resist anyway. She was unusually silent as Hanayo began to towel dry her hair for her.

“What are you thinking about?” Hanayo asked quietly after a few minutes. It wasn’t like Maki not to put up a fight against being fussed over. It was worrying.

“Just my father…and Eli.” Maki confessed. She half expected Hanayo to pull away as she admitted thinking about the blonde. She didn’t. “My father found out what I did from one of his colleagues. He found out that I made Eli cheat.”

“You didn’t make Eli-chan cheat.” Hanayo said hesitantly. She was clueless about everything when it came to romance but she knew it wasn’t all Maki’s doing. “You’re not the only person to blame, Maki-chan.”

“That’s not what my father thinks.” Maki mumbled, shrugging her shoulders slightly. “It doesn’t matter now I suppose. It’s not like I’m dating Eli or anything.”

At that remark Hanayo eyes widen. She felt a sudden relief wash over her as she continued to towel dry Maki’s hair for her. She supposed it would only cause more trouble if Maki really was dating Eli. She tossed the towel aside, running her fingers gently through Maki’s hair to style it into it’s usual way.

Maki couldn’t help but compare Hanayo’s fingers in her hair to Eli’s. Eli’s had been somewhat possessive when they’d been there, meant as a way to draw her closer. She hummed softly in satisfaction as nails scraped against her scalp. Her eyes shot open and she looked to Hanayo though the other first year didn’t seem to have noticed anything amiss.

After a few more minutes of running the pads of her fingers gently over her friend’s hair, Hanayo looked down. She slowly bent down a little so that her eyes could meet the other girls. Maki’s eyes reflected loneliness and Hanayo was overcome with the urge to hug her.

She wrapped her arms around the girl and leaned, the weight of her body causing Maki to fall back onto the bed. Pulling Maki close, Hanayo closed her eyes. She just wanted Maki to feel wanted. She wanted her to know that she was there for her, that she wasn’t alone.

Maki closed her eyes and tentatively pressed her head against Hanayo’s shoulder, wrapping her arms around the smaller girls. Just being close to someone made Maki feel safe. That is before she heard a noise from the window and she flinched in response.

Hanayo looked up, finding Rin crouched outside her window, her eyebrows clearly raised. “It’s just Rin-chan.” She said, sitting up. She had meant for it to be reassuring but Maki looked even more worried as she bolted upright.

Hanayo patted Maki’s arm and walked over to the window to let Rin in. Rin climbing through her window was something she was quite used to. What she wasn’t used to was finding her friend with a black eye. She caught sight of the bruised skin as Rin hopped into the room.

“Rin, what happened?!” Maki beat Hanayo to the punch as she stood up from the bed.

“Ah…nothing, nya!” Rin raised her hand to run her fingers over her eye. It hurt, but not as much as it had earlier. “It’s fine.”

Maki walked over, forgetting that Rin was probably angry with her. She drew the hand away from Rin’s bruised eye to look it over herself.

Rin huffed but allowed it for a few seconds until Maki stepped back, seemingly satisfied.

“Rin-chan, what happened?” Hanayo demanded, placing her hands on her hips.

Rin opened her mouth to insist that it was nothing but the look Hanayo was giving her told her that she wasn’t going to get away with that. Sighing, she leaned in to whisper her answer into Hanayo’s ear. She didn’t notice the slightly wounded look on Maki’s face, nor did she notice her step back.

_Rin pulled the hood of her hoodie up over her head as she walked away from the school. She couldn’t stop thinking about what those girls had done to Maki. They had humiliated her, they’d threatened to hurt her. No matter what Maki had done she didn’t deserve any of that._

_She made her way to the park where she figured the three girls would be. She knew enough about them to know that they would be there. Indeed, as soon as she entered the park, she spotted the trio standing by the swings, talking between themselves. She approached them quickly, pushing her hood back as she got closer. The taller girl, Haruka, saw her first and straightened up though she wasn’t quite prepared for Rin shoving her. She stumbled back but managed to stay on her feet._

_“Hey, what the hell?!”_

_“I know what you did to Maki-chan today.” Rin said, her eyes steely as she glared at the girls. “I’m not going to let you get away with it!”_

_Mio, the one who’d shoved Maki twice already, smirked. “What are you going to do about it? Why do you even care? You said it yourself, she’s disgusting.”_

_“Rin didn’t say that, nya!” Rin exclaimed loudly. She hadn’t said that at all. She said that what Maki did was disgusting, not that she was. “Maki-chan isn’t disgusting. You three are for bullying her!”_

_“She deserves it.” Keiko, the shortest girl answered with a careless shrug of her shoulders. “She’s just a slut.”_

_Rin clenched her fists. She was tired of that word being used in relation to Maki. It wasn’t fair. “Maki-chan isn’t a slut!”_

_“She is.” Mio said with a shake of her head. “And there are plenty more posters where those ones came from. We’re not going to let her live this down. She’s…”_

_“Shut up, nya!”_

_Rin swung an arm toward Mio her eyes emitting pure fury as she ran straight ahead. She felt herself being tackled by the taller girl Haruka who pushed her to the ground. Rin grit her teeth together and pushed her back up throwing the girl off her back. She delivered a swift kick to the other girl’s gut before she pushed herself back up._

_She  wasn’t prepared for the first swinging toward her face, courtesy of Mio, and it caught her fully in the eye. She grimaced and staggered, for just a split second before she leapt back into the fight. She didn’t care how many times she was hit, she was going to defend Maki._

Hanayo didn’t know whether to berate Rin for getting into a fight or hug her for her reason. She turned toward Maki who was clearly trying not to stare at her and Rin. “Rin-chan got into a fight with those three girls from the bathroom. Because she was outside of the bathroom when it happened and she didn’t like what she heard.”

“Kayo-chin!” Rin exclaimed as Maki turned to look at her with wide eyes. She hadn’t wanted Maki to know that. She was still angry with her.

“You did that for me?” Maki asked, taking a small step forward, quickly followed by another. “Really?”

“I’m still mad at you, nya!” Rin said though there was no real conviction in her words.

Maki couldn’t help it. When she got close enough, she hugged Rin tightly, ignoring the halfhearted struggling. Finally, Rin stopped moving and hugged her back just as tightly. “Thank you, Rin.”

“Rin wouldn’t let anyone hurt her friends, nya.” Rin pulled back though this time she made no attempt to insist that she was still angry with Maki. She was, in a way, but most of all she was glad to have Maki back. She watched as Hanayo lay a casual hand on Maki’s shoulder. It seemed the two of them were closer than ever. It was understandable. Hanayo had been the only one to reach out to help Maki.

“Let me look at your eye again.” Maki grabbed Rin’s hand and led her over to the bed. She didn’t miss the wince and she looked down, finding Rin’s knuckles bruised and bloody. “Hanayo, could you get me a first aid kit?”

Hanayo nodded and left the room, leaving Maki with Rin.  “Are you hurt anywhere else?”

“I guess my ribs hurt, nya.” Rin answered, doing her best to stay still to stop the pain shooting through her side. One of the girls, she didn’t know which, had managed to land a solid kick there.

“I can’t believe you got into a fight against three girls. Three!” Maki shook her head in exasperation though she was touched by the gesture. “I hope you managed to get some hits in at least.”

Rin brightened at the question. “Rin won, nya!”

Maki chuckled softly and shook her head, feeling strangely at ease.


	8. Chapter 8

Ten minutes before the end of the day, Eli stood abruptly from her desk, her hand to her stomach. When the teacher looked at her, clearly startled, she hurriedly made an excuse that she wasn’t feeling well. She noticed the older woman’s brow furrow as if she knew it was a lie but she was permitted to leave anyway. Trying to ignore Nozomi’s stare, she gathered up her books and left quickly. She made it to Maki’s class in record time and waited for a few minutes until the bell rang. 

She watched as first year’s filtered out of the class though there was no sign of Maki. The last two to leave the room were Hanayo and Rin, talking quietly between themselves.   
  
“Hanayo!” Eli walked over to Hanayo, her brow furrowed in concern. She noticed Hanayo’s surprise at seeing her but didn’t comment on it. “Where’s Maki? Wasn’t she at school today?”  
  
Rin glanced toward Hanayo who looked startled. “Maki-chan is ill, nya!” She answered for her friend. “She didn’t come to school today, right Kayo-chin?”  
  
“Right.” Hanayo answered apprehensively. She didn’t like lying to Eli no matter what the reason, but she had to. For Maki.

Feeling her phone vibrate in her pocket, Rin took it out and glanced down at the screen. She turned her attention back to Hanayo, nudging her gently. “Let’s go, nya.”  
  
Eli finally glanced toward Rin, her eyes widening at the sight of her black eye. “Rin, what the hell happened to your eye?”  
  
“Rin fell down in P.E, nya!” Rin exclaimed hurriedly. “Right, Kayo-chin?”  
  
Hanayo nodded and grabbed Rin’s hand. “We have to go, sorry Eli-chan.” She tugged at Rin’s hand and together they fled down the hallway. Eli watched as Hanayo pulled her phone out to answer it. Just before the two turned the corner, she heard Hanayo say ‘we’re on our way’. Her curiosity piqued, she quickly followed them.   
  
Hanayo continued to talk on the phone for a few minutes, her face alight with happiness though Eli couldn’t hear what was being said so she wasn’t sure who Hanayo was speaking to. She watched as Rin gently teased her when she finally hung up and a blush coloured Hanayo’s cheeks.   
  
She only grew more confused when Hanayo and Rin didn’t take the turn to go to Hanayo’s house but took another turn instead. She kept following them, all the way to the park between their neighbourhood’s. She caught sight of a flash of red hair and her stomach flipped in apprehension. So Maki wasn’t sick after all?  
  
She got closer, curious as to what was going on, but she was careful not to be seen. She watched as Hanayo embraced Maki, earning herself a grateful smile from the redhead.

“Is Maki-chan wearing Kayo-chin’s sweater?” Rin teased, seemingly noticing the same thing as Eli. “That’s so cute, nya! It’s like the two of you have really moved in together.”  
  
Eli’s brow furrowed in confusion at Rin’s comment. What did that even mean? How could Maki have moved in with Hanayo?  
  
“I’m sorry, I just couldn’t find anything else to wear.” Maki apologized to Hanayo as she tugged at the hem of the sweater. She had just put it on on her way out, hardly even paying attention to the fact that it was Hanayo’s. She hadn’t been back home since the previous night so she hadn’t had time to get any clothes. She had told her mom that she would be staying with Hanayo for a few days though.   
  
Hanayo smiled softly and shook her head in response. She felt nothing short of relieved that Maki felt more comfortable around them now. “I don’t mind at all, Maki-chan.”  
  
Maki hesitantly smiled back and wrapped her arms around herself, both to ward off the chill and to clutch the sweater closer. She was relieved beyond belief that Hanayo and Rin were speaking to her again. Hanayo especially, had been kinder to her than she deserved. “Thank you, Hanayo.” The smile on her lips was genuine now as she looked at Hanayo, unaware of the blonde watching them.   
  
Eli wasn’t sure if she felt relieved that Maki was feeling better or jealous that it hadn’t been her the redhead had turned to. It hurt that Maki had been avoiding her for the past few days. It felt like whenever she tried to approach Maki something stopped her. She listened as Rin eagerly suggested they go for Ramen, resulting in a laugh from Maki and Hanayo.   
  
Her heart clenching in her chest, Eli turned and hurried away before Maki caught sight of her. 

—-

“You know, Maki-chan’s being bullied.” Nozomi blurted out as she watched Nico begin to gather up the dishes they’d just eaten from. She had spoken to the three girls but after seeing that they all had various bruises, she figured someone must have gotten to them first. Rin, apparently, as she was sporting a nasty black eye as well.   
  
Nico glanced up at Nozomi’s words. Annoyance was her immediate reaction to the information though she quickly reminded herself of what Maki had done. She raised an eyebrow. “Why should I care about that?”  
  
“Because no matter what Maki-chan’s done she doesn’t deserve that.” Nozomi answered, her brow furrowed in confusion. It was like Nico was angrier than she was. “She was almost beaten up by three other girls earlier this week, Nicocchi. If I hadn’t stepped in…”  
  
“Why the hell did you bother?!” Nico slammed her hand down on the table they were sitting at, her eyes aflame with irritation. “Why do you care so much, Nozomi? How can you not want her to hurt?”  
  
Nozomi stared at Nico in shock. “Because she’s my friend, Nicocchi. She’s yours too. I don’t want you to forget that just because of what happened. Your loyalty means so much to me but I don’t want you to lose your friends.”  
  
Nico shook her head in response. “She’s no friend of mine after what she did to you.” As bothered as she was by Nozomi’s description of what had happened she wasn’t going to show it.   
  
Nozomi huffed out a sigh and rolled her eyes skyward. Nico was so damn stubborn sometimes. It was hard to get through to the hard headed girl. “Look…” She paused at the sound of a knock at the door. She was about to stand up to see who it was when Nico got to her feet and went to answer it herself. A small smile tugged at her lips. Nico was definitely making herself at home. It was nice having her around, she somehow made her feel less alone.  
  
Nico opened the door, finding Eli standing there. A rush of white hot anger washed over her at the sight of the blonde in question and her grip on the door tightened. “What the hell do you want?!”  
  
Eli wasn’t surprised to see Nico there, having heard the conversation she’d been having with Nozomi through the door. “I need to speak to Nozomi. Get out of my way, Nico.”  
  
Nico growled low in her throat at the command. “Go to hell. There’s no way I’m letting you anywhere near her after…” She trailed off as Eli’s gaze focused over her shoulder where a gentle hand had come to rest.   
  
“It’s alright.” Nozomi said quietly when Nico looked back at her. “I’ll be fine. You should go home for a while anyway. I’m sure you brother and sisters miss you. Go on. I’ll walk to school with you tomorrow.”  
  
“I’m not leaving you with her!” Nico shot Eli a dark glare though the blonde didn’t flinch.   
  
It was sweet, in a way, that Nico was so adamant about staying. “I don’t need to be protected, Nicocchi. I’ll be fine.”  
  
“You do, especially from her.” Seeing that she wasn’t going to win the argument, Nico huffed irritably. “Whatever. Just don’t come crying to me when this ends badly.” She shot Eli a warning glare though when she spoke again it was still directed at Nozomi. “I’ll be back tomorrow morning.” She grabbed her bag from next to the door and slid her shoes on while Eli waited. Straightening up, she fixed Eli with a final glare. “If you upset her you’ll have me to answer to.”  
  
Eli was silent as Nico brushed past her and walked away. She waited until Nozomi stepped aside before stepping into the familiar apartment. She realized, as the door closed with a gentle click behind her that the last time she had been there was when she had broken up with Nozomi. After they had both cried themselves out on the floor next to the front door, Eli had uttered a final apology before leaving the house.   
  
“I’m sorry I didn’t call before I came over.” She said, figuring it was the polite thing to say. She could have warned Nozomi that she would be coming over but it had been a spur of the moment decision. It was normal, that whenever something went wrong for her, she still instinctively turned to her best friend, but at the same time it was terribly selfish of her.   
  
“It’s fine.” Nozomi said carefully as she led the way back into the living room. She sat back down in the space she’d previously occupied and watched as Eli hesitantly took Nico’s place. “Did you need something?”  
  
“I just wanted to talk about things. About…everything.” Eli said quietly. She had decided to talk to Nozomi about what had been said between them in the classroom a few days ago but now she found herself distracted. “Maki is being bullied?”  
  
Nozomi stared at Eli, disappointed by the turn in conversation. “Yeah.” She finally said, lowering her gaze. “It seems to be mainly three girls. They’ve been putting up posters of her, calling her a slut. And I stepped in when one of them shoved her the other day.”  
  
Eli clenched her hands into fists, her jaw clenching at the thought. “Who are they?” She asked, her voice much lower and angrier than Nozomi was accustomed to hearing it. “I’ll put a stop to it.”  
  
Nozomi tried to ignore the jealousy she felt when she was faced with Eli’s evident annoyance toward Maki’s bullies. “You haven’t noticed the three girls walking around school with bruises?” She asked, raising an eyebrow. “Rin-chan overheard Maki-chan being bullied and well…beat them up.”  
  
“Oh.” Eli said quietly as she thought back to the black eye Rin had been sporting. “I’ve been a bit distracted lately so…” She trailed off awkwardly, the guilt she felt at not having noticed Maki’s situation overwhelming her. She wished Maki would have told her what was going on.   
  
Nozomi nodded in understanding but she hastily changed the subject, not wanting to discuss Maki with Eli. It would be too hard to listen to her talk about the redhead, to watch the familiar soft expression she used to have when talking to her. “What did you want to talk to me about?”  
  
Eli blushed, realizing she had completely forgotten her point. “I wanted to apologize for what happened when we spoke last. I didn’t really give you any answers and you of all people, deserve them. So I want you to know that if you need to ask me anything you can. I won’t lie to you.”  
  
Nozomi’s eyes lifted to Eli’s at the assurance. “Anything?”  
  
“Anything.” Eli vowed sincerely, leaning forward slightly. She wanted to clear the air between the two of them. She missed Nozomi more than she could even put into words.   
  
“Was the sex better with Maki-chan?” Nozomi’s question was so blunt that it earned her a sharp inhalation from Eli. She ignored it. “Is that why you broke up with me after…?”  
  
Eli briefly closed her eyes. “Don’t make me give you answers that are only going to hurt you, Nozomi. It’s the last thing I want.”  
  
Nozomi frowned at Eli’s refusal to answer the question. That was an answer in itself. “You promised, Elichi.”  
  
Eli winced. She had promised. Taking a deep breath she closed her eyes and thought about the way being with Maki had made her feel. It seemed so long ago but she still remembered every second of it. “It was…a relief.” She finally answered carefully. She didn’t want to hurt Nozomi with her answers. She hadn’t come here with that in mind. “We had both been resisting for so long that finally getting to be together felt like…” She bit her lip, struggling to think of a way to describe how it had made her feel. “It was like I felt lighter, suddenly. Only for a bit.”  
  
Nozomi swallowed heavily, trying not to read too much into Eli’s answer. “That’s not what I asked.”  
  
Eli’s brow furrowed slightly. It was like Nozomi wanted to be hurt. “No, it was just different. It wasn’t better or worse than when I was with you, it was just different.” She remembered clearly how uncertain Maki had been at times, leading her to be clumsy. She was a lot different than Nozomi in that she was a little wild at times. It was obvious that she had been passionate about what she was doing, determined to make Eli feel good in return.  
  
Eli remembered how Maki had paused only briefly when their eyes locked. There had been something more behind the kiss she had given Eli after, it was somewhat desperate, though the kiss itself had still been sweet and gentle, letting Eli know that the desperation was only caused by her trying to get her feelings across. When Maki had pulled away there had been tears in her eyes. When Eli had breathily asked if she wanted to stop Maki had quickly shaken her head and stubbornly blinked the tears away.   
  
“Elichi.” Nozomi prompted quietly, drawing Eli from her thoughts. “Are you even listening?”

Eli sat up straight, alarm on her features. “I’m listening!” She said quickly, not wanting Nozomi to think otherwise. She was just a little distracted, that was all. “I’m sorry, I was just…”  
  
Nozomi watched as Eli blushed. She sighed softly at the sight. “Do you love Maki-chan?” She asked, preparing herself for the answer. It would hurt either way. If Eli said no she had thrown away what they had for a silly attraction. If the answer was yes, she had lost Eli for good. “I don’t mean as a friend. Are you in love with her?”  
  
Eli nervously licked her lips. That was something she had spent the last few days contemplating. “Yes. I’m in love with her.” That much was clear to her. She had fallen for the redhead though she couldn’t pinpoint when it had happened.   
  
Nozomi sucked in a sharp breath despite having prepared herself for the answer. It still hurt, to hear Eli say that she was in love with someone else. “What about me?” Her voice cracked despite her best efforts. “You keep saying you love me more than anyone else!”  
  
“I do!” Eli exclaimed, frustrated by her own confusion. It wasn’t easy to get across how she felt. “I love you, Nozomi. I love you more than anyone. But I love Maki too. I don’t understand it either but that’s just how I feel.”  
  
Nozomi felt a spark of hope at Eli’s words, almost enough to quell the ache in her chest. She reached out for Eli’s hand, ignoring the flinch from the blonde as she took it. “Tell me again.” She said quietly, her tone almost pleading. Maybe if Eli said it enough, she would start believing it again.   
  
Eli knew what Nozomi was referring to without having to ask. She took a shuddering breath. “I love you, Nozomi.”  
  
Nozomi couldn’t bring herself to say it back but it wasn’t as though her love for Eli was in question. Everyone knew her heart lay with the Russian. There was nobody else for her. She leaned in slowly, her gaze briefly dipping to Eli’s lips. It had been so long since she had last kissed her.   
  
Eli held her breath as Nozomi leaned in closer, her eyes closed. Just before their lips grazed, she remembered the last time she had kissed Maki. It had been in the park, under the stars, she recalled. She drew back and placed a hand on Nozomi’s shoulder to halt her progress when she tried to chase her lips.   
  
“We can’t.” She said softly, shaking her head. She did want to but she couldn’t, not when Maki was on her mind. “I’m sorry, Nozomi. It’s not right.”  
  
“Not right?” Nozomi opened her eyes, fixing Eli with a hurt look. “It doesn’t feel right any more?” It was because Eli was in love with Maki, it had to be. To her embarrassment she felt her eyes well up with tears. It hurt more than she could say to be rejected by the person she loved.   
  
Eli’s eyes widened at the sight of Nozomi’s tears. “No!” She said quickly. “No, that’s not what I meant. But…”  
  
“It’s alright, I get it.” Nozomi said, forcing a small smile. “Maybe you were right about what you said. Maybe it would have been better if we’d never started this.” She wondered if watching Eli and Maki together without having been with Eli first would have hurt just as much. “You should go to her. She obviously needs you.”  
  
“Nozomi, I…”  
  
“Just go, Elichi.” Nozomi interrupted again, pushing herself to her feet. “I want to be alone. Please.” She walked into her bedroom and sat down on the bed, her fingers digging into the covers. They had stopped smelling of Eli by now. She waited in silence, almost hoping Eli would follow her. When she heard the door open and close after a couple of minutes, she fell back onto her bed and buried her face in her pillow, her body shaking with soft sobs. Maybe it really was over for them. It didn’t seem like Eli even wanted her now that she had Maki.

—  
  
It had been two days since Eli had spoken to Nozomi and she was no less confused than she had been then. She didn’t know what to do about the situation she had gotten not only herself into but Nozomi and Maki too. All of Muse really.   
  
She wandered down the street, her mind somewhere else entirely. She couldn’t concentrate on anything it seemed, and after about an hour of trying to do her homework she had tugged on a white V-neck sweater and a pair of jeans and left the house. She had thought it might help to clear her head a bit but now that she was outside all she wanted to do was go back home.   
  
She was so unfocused on what she was doing that when she turned the corner, she almost ran into the person walking toward her. “Maki?” She felt like it had been so long since she’d really seen the other girl, aside from seeing her at the park. “Hey. I’m sorry, I wasn’t paying attention.”  
  
Maki tugged at the sleeve of the green sweater she had borrowed from Hanayo. “Neither was I, it’s fine.” She said quietly. It still made her somewhat anxious to be so close to Eli. “Um…where were you going?”  
  
“Just for a walk, to clear my head.” Eli answered, taking note of Maki’s awkwardness. It pained her to see the redhead acting that way around her again. “I was just heading home though. Maybe…do you want to come with me? We could talk. If you want.”  
  
Maki hesitated for a moment. She wasn’t sure it was a good idea. “Alright.” She found herself saying anyway. The way Eli’s face lit up at the answer made her feel warmer than before. “Let’s go.”  
  
Eli smiled warmly at Maki and led the way down the street, back to her house. When Maki caught up to her, she instinctively reached out and grabbed the redhead’s hand. Something akin to an electric shock coursed through her palm and she felt Maki flinch too. It didn’t seem to bother Maki though as she carefully slid her fingers between Eli’s.   
  
Eli bit her lip to hold back another smile at the natural reaction. Despite the slight awkwardness in the air, being with Maki felt nothing short of natural. “We’re almost there.” She said quietly as they continued to walk. It was only when she was outside of her door that she let go of Maki’s hand to unlock it.   
  
“My parents are away for a while.” She said as she led the way inside. “And Arisa is sleeping at Honoka’s house tonight. Visiting Yukiho, she said.”  
  
Maki followed Eli inside, the news that they would be alone together only making her more anxious. She closed the door gently behind her and slid off her shoes next to the door before following Eli further inside.   
  
“Do you want some tea?” Eli asked, glancing back at Maki. She was relieved that Maki still seemed to want to talk to her. She watched as Maki nodded. “You can wait in my room, if you want. I’ll be up in a minute.”  
  
Maki gave a gentle hum in response, not trusting herself to say much else. She made her way up to Eli’s room and while Eli was busy making the tea, took a look around. Noticing some picture frames she wandered over to them to take a look. They were pictures of Eli, pictures of her playing violin and dancing ballet.   
  
She lifted a hand, gently brushing her fingers over the one of Eli dancing. Eli was cute when she was younger, in a different way than she was now. She looked innocent and happy. She didn’t hear the door open and close behind her nor did she sense Eli approach after setting the tray down.   
  
“What are you looking at?”  
  
Maki jerked guiltily at being caught. “Sorry, I didn’t mean to…you just looked so happy in this picture.”  
  
Eli glanced at the picture and smiled softly. “I was.” She said quietly, one hand coming to rest lightly upon Maki’s hip as she looked over her shoulder. “Come on, let’s drink the tea before it gets cold.”  
  
The touch made her skin tingle despite it being over her sweater. She nodded and made her way over to the bed. She took the tea and blew on it before taking a sip. They drank their tea in companionable silence for a few minutes until Eli spoke.   
  
“Nozomi told me you’re being bullied.” She said gently as she glanced at Maki. “Is that true?”  
  
Maki tensed at the question and stared down at her tea. “It’s more than just bullying…”  
  
Eli felt her heart leap to her throat at the answer. “Maki, did they hurt you?” She set her almost empty cup aside and turned toward Maki, giving her her full attention. “What did they do to you? Please, tell me.”  
  
Maki shrugged her shoulders. “One of the girls shoved me into a locker…and the bathroom wall. I thought they might really hit me when they cornered me in the bathroom but Hanayo stopped them. They made posters too, calling me a…a slut. And…” She felt her throat close up. This was the most difficult part. “They tore up my notebook. My lyrics…”  
  
Eli shot to her feet, her expression darkening. They had no right to treat Maki like that. “I’ll kill them.” She said fiercely, already turning toward the door. She would deal with Nico after. She had been the one to spread what had happened around school.   
  
Maki quickly reached out and grabbed Eli’s hand, pulling her back down next to her. “Rin already did that. I don’t need you to go after them too.”  
  
Eli’s expression softened when she found herself staring at Maki again. “I wish you would have told me. You know you can tell me anything, Maki. I’ll always be here for you.”  
  
Maki nodded slowly and decided to continue explaining. “One of those girls…her father works with mine and he told him what he’d heard about me. My father said…he said that he would disown me if I shamed our family again. He thinks that I forced myself onto you, that I…” Her eyes misted over with tears as she thought back to her father’s accusations. “I couldn’t take it and I went to stay with Hanayo for a while.”  
  
Realization washed over Eli as she remembered Rin mentioning something about that. “Why didn’t you come to me?” She asked, her tone slightly sharper than usual. She was hurt that Maki hadn’t thought to go to her when she was in need. “You’ve been avoiding me.”  
  
“Because it was my business, it wasn’t your concern…”  
  
“You are my concern, Maki!” Eli reached out and gripped Maki’s hand firmly. “I don’t want you to deal with this alone, I want to be here for you. I mean it.”  
  
Maki’s lower lip began to wobble and soon enough the tears in her eyes had slid their way free.   
  
Eli sighed softly and moved to take Maki’s cup from her hand, setting it on the floor. “Come here.” She wrapped her arms around the crying girl and felt Maki grip the back of her sweater tightly as she leaned into her. She held onto her for a long few minutes until Maki finally calmed down. Eli pressed her lips gently to Maki’s forehead as the redhead sniffled softly.   
  
Maki tilted her head up automatically and leaned in, triggering Eli to do the same. Their lips met briefly for a moment before they pulled away. Their eyes met for a couple of seconds, a silent message passing between them. They leaned in again, their lips quickly finding each other’s. It wasn’t hurried like their previous kisses, it was slow and gentle, almost comforting in a way,   
  
Eli tilted her head to the side and pressed closer, adding a bit more pressure to the kiss. Her hands wandered to Maki’s hips and she toyed with the hem of her sweater, or rather Hanayo’s sweater. She felt Maki shifting after a moment and thought she was going to pull away. Instead she found the redhead straddling her lap, her arms going around her neck.   
  
She didn’t pull away until she needed to to take a breath. It seemed like Maki did too as she rested her forehead gently against Eli’s and focused on breathing slowly. “Eli…” She whispered after a moment, her eyes meeting familiar sky blue orbs.   
  
Eli took a slow breath. “I love you, Maki.”


	9. Chapter 9

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Double chapter coming up!   
> Warning for M rated stuff in this chapter. Or maybe explicit. Like...very sexual scenes anyway.   
> Also warning that this chapter is VERY Maki orientated. As in all of the scenes are Maki scenes. More Nozomi in the next chapter though! :)

For a moment Maki completely froze. She had never expected to hear those words from the blonde. Not directed toward her at least. “R-Really?” She hardly dared to let herself hope that it was true. **  
**

“Really.” Eli whispered, reaching up to gently brush Maki’s hair from her face. “I’m so in love with you. I love…everything about you, Maki.”

Maki felt a blush creep across her face. She knew that Eli still loved Nozomi but she also knew that Eli wouldn’t lie to her about something so important. She swallowed against the lump in her throat. “I-I love you too, Eli. I love you so much.”

Eli smiled at hearing the words and slowly leaned in to softly kiss Maki’s lips. She allowed her own to glide gently to Maki’s jaw and down to the covered part of her neck. A part of Eli wanted to rip apart the thin material of the borrowed green sweater, but Eli held back as she pulled down the collar of the cloth, only to be rewarded with the pianist’s smooth illuminating skin. “ So beautiful..” She uttered against the flushed complexion. A calming aroma hit her senses as she continued to tenderly kiss against Maki’s pulse point.

A hitched breath escaped Maki as she closed her eyes, her lips parting from the sensation of the other girl’s fingertips. After hearing what Eli said Maki’s hands moved to grip Eli’s hair tie before pulling it carefully off to let the golden tresses cascade over the blonde’s shoulders.  She wanted Eli to be bare in front of her. She didn’t want them to hide from each other anymore.

“Eli…”

Hearing Maki’s strangled plea made Eli continue to suck gently against her skin as she tugged the bothersome wool downward, revealing Maki’s bare shoulder. Eli pressed against the crook as she wrapped her arms tighter around Maki. She just wanted to hold her, to know she was really here with her. She couldn’t imagine being separated from her. It was as if they were fated to love one another.

Flashbacks of their time together came back to her clearly. She sighed as she thought back to how rushed it had felt. For something that was suppose to be Maki’s first time it was so unromantic. It hadn’t been special at all. Eli wanted to give Maki her real feelings. Her true self.

“I want to make love to you Maki…I want you to know just how much I’ve fallen for you.”

Maki felt her throat close with emotion as she felt Eli’s long slender fingers lift up the hem of her sweater. She turned around instinctively as she raised her arms up to help Eli pull off the garment completely only to expose her mature laced maroon bra. Eli found herself unable to tear her eyes away as she admired the black trimmings of the material.  

Averting her eyes Maki tried not to see Eli’s reaction. For some reason she still felt this was too good to be true. That Eli might pull away at any second. The thought terrified her and she found herself resisting the urge to grab Eli and pull her close. “I-I know you saw me already..but I…”

Eli glanced down at Maki, her gaze landing on a blueish bruised area that marked the upper part of her otherwise flawless back. Her fingers curled tightly, nails digging into her palms. It was obvious that this bruise was caused by the girls who were bullying Maki. Eli took a deep breath and then placed a loving kiss upon the sensitive skin. She pressed her forehead against it as her fingers trailed up Maki’s hips and to the girl’s clasp. She played with it, admiring the deep color that just seemed to brighten the girl’s hair and lavender eyes even more.

“I love you.” She whispered as she pressed another kiss upon the damaged skin. Ironically she thought it was just as beautiful as the first year. She loved every imperfect part of her. It drove her crazy all week that Maki was ignoring her. But now she had her. All of her.

Maki flinched as she felt warm lips against her. She already felt tears about to spill but she kept quiet. She could hardly allow herself to believe that this was real, that Eli actually loved her back. Feeling Eli’s fingers trail cool fire up her naked back, she gripped the bed sheets as she continued to face away from the older girl. She felt Eli move herself further up to her shoulders followed soon after by a harder kiss being pressed to her shoulder. Teeth sank tenderly into her rapidly beating pulse point.

A soft moan escaped Maki as she felt her body gravitate back to Eli. Slowly she turned herself around so she could face her. Arching her neck back to allow more access , she whimpered the blonde’s name. “Eli…I-I…”

Eli shushed her, pushing her gently onto her sheets with the palm of her hand. She crawled on all four to Maki, letting her lips fall open upon the other girl’s. Deepening the kiss while tilting her head slightly, she swiped her tongue against Maki’s lower lip to encourage her to part them.

Maki complied almost instantly, parting her lips. She jolted slightly when she met Eli’s tongue. It had been too long since she had kissed her like this. She moved her fingers back to Eli’s golden locks, threading her fingers into them. She heard Eli softly groan at the feeling of the pads of her fingers and felt a strange sense of satisfaction.  Maki felt light, it was like she was dreaming, yet it wasn’t a fantasy.

It was real. It was too real. She needed to feel Eli, she wanted to be flesh to flesh. Maki pulled away briefly from the blonde’s greedy lips. She lifted herself up a bit so that she could place her head on Eli’s shoulder, her own hands gripping Eli’s white V-neck sweater. She toyed with the hem as she placed her own lips on the older girl’s shoulder.

“Eli, can I?” She asked softly. She didn’t want to rush, she wanted to have the permission to continue. Last time, in the music room, she’d just quickly yanked off Eli’s blouse, but not this time. She needed to do this slowly, she wanted to savor every moment with the quarter Russian. Every intimate touch, kiss and look. “I want to feel you against me…please?”

“Yes.” Was the breathly response as the blonde straightened herself and lifted her arms up. Eli bit her lip once Maki began to tug her sweater upwards and sighed as the material slid off. She thanked herself earlier for not wearing her uniform. It would have been too much of a hassle to get off.

Once the flimsy white apparel was over her head, Eli blushed at Maki’s reaction. Her undergarment wasn’t as sophisticated as Maki’s, less lace, more cotton. It was pale blue with white trimmings. Hardly anything special.

Maki took a moment to look Eli over, her lip tucked between her teeth. She hadn’t had much time to just admire Eli last time, their actions had been too frantic for that. Finally she looked up at Eli, catching her blush.

“You look adorable, I don’t know why you’re blushing?” Her voice was laced with amusement. She lifted a slender finger and brushed the front of Eli’s bra, making her gasp.

“Maki!” Eli warned as she felt her face grow hotter. Maki giggled before letting her enchanted lilac hues meet that of open sky blue. Her smile lingered on her lips even as her chest tightened with longing. She could hardly believe how hard she had fallen for the blonde. She loved her so much she wasn’t sure she knew what to do with it.   
  
Maki sat up, taking Eli’s arm and pulled her into her, wrapping her arms around her shoulders. She took a deep inhale of Eli’s scent, emotion overwhelming her once again. She wanted to stay like this, forever if she could. She knew it wouldn’t last.

“I want to make love with you too Eli. Please make love to me.”

Eli’s felt her heart skip a beat at Maki’s words. She sounded vulnerable, so intimate and full of emotion. Eli placed her arms on slender hips, letting her fingers dip a little into the dark jeans hugging Maki. She felt so bare. More than she could ever remember. She took a shaky breath as she continue to sit there. Just holding and hugging Maki was enough at the moment. Eli couldn’t think of this as sex, it was a lot more. She wanted to just be with Maki forever if she could. Yet she knew she didn’t deserve it after everything she’d done. She’d hurt both Maki and Nozomi. They were the ones suffering, not her. She didn’t deserve either of them.

“I really don’t deserve you after all of the pain I caused you…” She said , her eyes misting over with tears.  How could Maki want this? After all that has happened. Maki deserved more than her. Hanayo would be such a better partner, she would cherish Maki and give her everything that Eli couldn’t.  “I’m so sorry I’ve been so selfish lately, I hate it.”

“Stop. Don’t blame yourself, we both caused this. We’re only human Eli.” Maki replied bluntly as she laid her head on Eli’s naked shoulder. She gave a lazy kiss to it, shuddering slightly as Eli’s fingers tenderly brushed against the bruise on her back.

Eli choked back a sob as she buried her head against Maki, her tears dampening the younger girl’s shoulder. This was the reason she didn’t understand. Unlike so many people, even Nozomi sometimes, who seemed to see Eli as someone who wouldn’t make mistakes, as someone who would do no wrong, Maki knew her. People seemed to have forgotten, she was only human. She was only seventeen and soon to be eighteen. Eli was far from perfect.

Yet Maki seemed like the only person to really see her as a human. She was honest, blunt and didn’t hide her feelings. Sure she had her own issues with emotions but Maki at least accepted her. She didn’t hide her thoughts, and when someone as stubborn as her came along, she just kept fighting. Eli always admired that hidden fire Maki held inside. The one that laid dormant because of her upbringing.

In a way Eli understood, she too had been raised with expectations. She was supposed to follow her grandmother and mother’s footsteps.  She wanted to succeed, wanted to make her grandmother proud. She was good, but she wasn’t great. When she was still in elementary school Eli still had the dream to become an incredible ballerina. She was so happy when she danced, and then that one audition shattered everything.  

Maki stayed quiet. She continue to listen to the twin beats of her and Eli’s hearts. It soothed her. She hummed a little to herself. A song she started during her third year of junior high. One Honoka unfortunately overheard her sing before she unofficially recruited her for Muse. It was dear to her, just like the one she had been secretly writing since the Snow Halation performance.

After she calmed down, Eli lifted her head and stared at Maki with half lidded eyes, her hands at Maki’s bra strap. She unclipped it with ease, and watched Maki pull away and wait so that Eli could pull each strap off of her. As she did, she placed another kiss on the spot that the straps kept hidden. Soon the bra fell completely on Maki’s lap.

Eli’s eyes widen at the sight. Maki was gorgeous, even moreso than she remembered. Eli could only imagine what Maki would look like when she turned seventeen. The thought brought a blush to her cheeks.

“Stop staring! I-It’s embarrassing!” Maki pouted as she sat there with Eli, who was too busy staring at her chest to realize how red Maki’s cheeks had gotten.  She felt overly underdressed compared to Eli. Now only wearing pants. It was truly annoying. Eli always had to have the upper hand.

“S-Sorry! I just really like to look at you! Even before all this. You’ve always seem to catch my attention, whether you are singing and playing piano or just standing. It’s really hard not to notice sometimes.” Eli admitted, her own face turning even redder.  She didn’t know what was wrong with her. She felt like she was actually a teenager. An awkward and inexperienced high school student.  

Maki could tell Eli was nervous, she was too. She took a deep breath and lifted her hand from her side. She took hold of one of Eli’s and guided it to the right side of her chest. She looked at Eli and pressed her palm further against the soft flesh. Silently telling Eli it was okay.

Eli nodded and leaned in closer to let her lips meet Maki’s again. The kiss was filled with passion. She pushed Maki back onto her bed, parting her lips to brush her tongue against Maki’s lower lip. She moaned softly against Maki and squeezed her breast gently.    
  
She then trailed her fingers down Maki’s lean stomach, drawing patterns upon the skin with gentle strokes. She felt Maki squirm in response. She let her hand lay flat upon the area above Maki’s dark jeans and taking a slow breath, allowed her fingers to once again slip past the waistband a little to get to Maki’s warm skin. She shifted her fingers, teasing her a bit.

Maki kissed hard, almost desperately. She could already feel herself getting more excited, her heart beating wildly against her chest. She moaned loudly when Eli’s long fingers dipped near her heated area, thanking the gods that Eli’s family wasn’t home.   
  


“Ti ochen’ krasivaya.”  Eli whispered in her grandmother’s language after she pulled away briefly from Maki’s lips, her fingers now placed on the girl’s zipper. She waited for Maki to meet her eyes before pulling it down.

Maki however took Eli’s hand and brought it back to her hip, her eyes showing determination as she used her other hand to reach for Eli’s bra clasp. “You can’t honestly think sweet talking in a foreign language will get me to take off my jeans that easily right? You have no game at all, Ayase.” She quipped. Before she noticed the blush forming on Eli’s cheeks.

After briefly fumbling, she then unsnapped the quarter Russian’s undergarment. Watching with a tiny smirk as Eli let it fall. Maki could only stare, her eyes not surprised by the beauty before her. “Why do you always have to hide this side from everyone?” She couldn’t help but question as she brought a hand to cup one of Eli’s breast. Maki examined it. She then leaned in and took the hardening nub into her mouth, pressing her other palm firmly on the other breast.

Eli gasped at the younger girl’s actions, She arched her back and thread her hands into Maki’s crimson hair.  Her face was hot, and she could only respond in a whimper. It felt too good. She could cry at how good it felt to feel Maki against her.  

Maki glanced up through her eyelashes, the ecstasy on Eli’s face sending a shudder through her. She hadn’t had time to take it in before but she was adamant that she would now. There was nothing to stop them this time. No interruptions, nowhere they needed to be. They even had the house to themselves.

  
Listening intently to the soft gasps coming from Eli, Maki allowed her hands to roam up the blonde’s sides and over the plane of her back. The skin was smooth under her touch but she detected the subtle movement of muscles as Eli pushed toward her. Reaching Eli’s lower back she was disappointed when the presence of fabric stopped the movement of her hands over skin. Stubbornly, she pushed her fingers beneath the waistband of the jeans.   
  
Eli inhaled sharply at the unexpected move, her eyes shooting open to meet Maki’s. She felt Maki’s hands shift slightly lower. The idea of where Maki’s hands had settled sent a jolt of searing heat shooting through her, settling in her lower stomach. It was thrilling, to have Maki touch her so intimately, and with so much confidence.

Maki finally pulled her head away from Eli’s chest, withdrawing her hand out from under the waistband of Eli’s jeans. Maki smoothly glided her fingers toward the front of the jeans and landed on the buttons. She flicked open one, then two before she pulled the zipper down slowly to unveil pale blue cotton. Her eyes never left Eli’s heated gaze, her chest pounding from the adrenalin that was pumping through her.

Eli bit her lip. She was awaiting Maki to touch her, but the younger girl was taking too long in taking off her pants. She lifted her hips to get some friction, only to have Maki’s hand move further away from the place she needed the most.

“Maki!?” Eli groaned. Maki was teasing her, and it was driving her insane. She could only watch, her ache to feel the girl quickly growing.

Hurrying just a little Maki pulled off one of Eli’s pants leg and her sock. She gently kissed her calf before trailing a path of butterfly kisses all the way up to Eli’s inner thigh. Maki repeated that motion with the other part of the clothing before finally she freed the blonde of her confinements.

Eli took a deep breath upon feeling Maki kiss so close to her most personal area. She felt the cool air of her room hitting her legs and realized Maki was finished undressing her. All she had left on was her panties. Her face flushed all the way across to her ears and down to her neck. She was completely open for Maki to see. It made her anxious, especially with the soft expression on Maki’s face directed at her.  “What?”

“I love you.” Was Maki’s soft reply. She stared in awe at the beautiful woman in front of her, fingers brushing gently over Eli’s smooth skin. She wanted to make her come undone. To make her a shuddering mess, to hear her name pass the lips she was so addicted to kissing.

Maki got up from the bed and slowly pulled off her second to last piece of clothing. She decided that she didn’t want Eli to be the only one at this stage. She wanted them to be equally exposed. When she was done and only clad in her own underwear, Maki returned to the bed. She sat down in front of Eli. Who was now lying against her pillow. She took hold of Eli’s legs and gently eased them open before bending to kiss Eli’s inner thigh again. She continued, trailing attentive kisses up to where she wanted to be the most.

The moment Maki’s lips made contact with the dampened spot on Eli’s underwear, was the moment she realized how in love she truly was with the blonde.

Watching intently, Eli couldn’t believe how loving and intimate Maki was behaving. It made her heart soar. She waited eagerly for Maki, her mouth parting as she watched Maki move her head higher up her legs. Her eyes shut in pleasure when Maki’s lips brushed upon her covered sex. It wasn’t enough, but it has relieved her just a bit.  

She couldn’t take it, She needed Maki. “Maki! Please, I need you.” Eli moaned loudly, not caring about how embarrassed it was to beg for her lover.

She felt Maki comply to her plea, tugging the soiled panties down her legs and off her feet. Maki then looked at Eli once more before going back down. Eli hissed in satisfaction when finally Maki’s lips pressed against her swollen core. She let out another loud moan, as Maki began to explore her, slender fingers tightening their hold around her thighs.

“Maki! Ya tebya lyublyu.”  Eli gasped again. She slid her hands down from their hold in Maki’s hair, one of them moving unconsciously to the redhead’s fingers. She grasped them almost instantly, lacing her fingers between the talented ones. It was a difficult gesture to perform. Eli could only muster the courage to do that with someone she trusts completely.   
  
She felt Maki squeeze her fingers back, the gesture obviously to offer some kind of reassurance. Giving herself over to someone like this was still enough to make her nervous, even after doing it so many times and with different people at that. She focused intently on what Maki was doing, every swipe of her tongue sending pleasurable tingles coursing through. It was almost too much for her to take and she found herself moaning progressively louder as Maki continued. She was silently grateful that her family wouldn’t be coming home anytime soon. She’d have no chance of keeping quiet with Maki doing things like that to her.

  
Her eyes widened in surprise when she felt Maki change tactics, briefly starting to suck at her flesh rather than lick. Her back arched slightly, her grip on Maki’s crimson hair tightening for a few seconds before she forced it to relax a bit. She didn’t want to actually hurt Maki after all.   
  
Maki did her best to focus on what she was doing though she could feel her own ache growing more intense by the second due to Eli’s reactions to her, and she had to fight to keep her hips from moving against the top of the bed to get some friction. That it was her making the blonde feel so good just made it all the more satisfying. She would do everything she could to make Eli feel good.   
  
“Maki.” Eli panted, her gaze shifting down to the girl between her legs. The sight alone caused a strong thrum of pleasure to wash over. When Maki looked up through her eyelashes to meet her stare without stopping, that turned out to be Eli’s undoing.   
  
She couldn’t stop her grip tightening on Maki’s hair and hand this time, nor could she stop the way her hips jerked as pleasure shot through her.  “Maki! I love you so much!” She cried out loudly and squeezed her eyes shut as black filtered into her vision. Finally, she slumped back down onto the bed, gasping for air.

Maki gently untangled Eli’s weakened fingers from her hair and crawled over her. She settled down atop her, holding herself up slightly with her elbows and watched Eli in awe. Eli’s slightly parted lips made it impossible for her to resist leaning in and gently kiss the blonde’s lower lip. She could feel every harsh exhale against her mouth as Eli tried to catch her breath.   
  
She nipped gently at the soft skin before thoughtfully teasing it with her tongue. She was slightly surprised when Eli’s arms wrapped around her neck and she found herself being drawn into a deeper kiss but she returned it anyway, eagerly pressing closer to the blonde. Their first time may have been rushed and nowhere near as perfect as this but the way Eli had made her feel had been unimaginable to her. She wanted to feel that way again, now, especially after having witnessed Eli come apart beneath her.

She felt Eli’s hands slip down her back, fingers trailing liquid fire over her skin. Finally those fingers dipped beneath her underwear, enough to pull them down. Not wanting to part from Eli, Maki shifted herself to help Eli and finally kicked the panties off. She paid no attention to where they had disappeared to, she was much too focused on the captivating blonde beneath her.   
  
She felt a flare of disappointment when Eli’s hands returned to her hips. Eli’s lips strayed from hers and she kissed down to her neck but even that wasn’t enough anymore. “Eli…” She breathed, her eyes closed. She reached down to grip Eli’s hands and felt her face heat as she dragged it down to where she needed her fingers to be. It was embarrassing, but she couldn’t help it. “There. Please.”

Eli inhaled sharply at the feeling of her hand being moved to the intimate place between Maki’s legs. “Harasho.” She muttered, pressing her fingers more firmly against the heated flesh. The fact that Maki had been the one to guide her to that area made her feel nothing short of smug.   
  
Maki hissed as she felt Eli’s fingers easily slip inside of her. She tensed briefly, her hand moving to the back of Eli’s neck for something to grasp onto. She realized that Eli was giving her a moment to get used to the feeling and she nodded to get the blonde to move.   
  
Eli realized what Maki was asking for without having to question her and began to move her fingers slowly back and forth.  
  
Maki rolled her hips, meeting every movement of Eli’s fingers, sharp little gasps and moans passing her lips.

Eli gently kissed Maki’s neck. “Does that feel good? Maki?” She asked hoarsely, wanting to hear the answer from Maki. She carefully began to suck at the skin covering Maki’s pulsepoint, well aware that she would leave a mark. She didn’t care, and neither did Maki.

Maki closed her eyes tightly at the question. Damn Eli, somehow always managing to get the upper hand back. “So good.” She whispered. She didn’t need to speak louder, her mouth was right next to Eli’s ear so she could be heard perfectly. “Don’t stop.”

Eli stayed silent as she continued, putting more force behind the movement of her fingers. She didn’t plan to stop. If she had her way she would keep going until they were too exhausted to. Soon enough, she felt Maki’s movements grow frantic, her moans growing louder in turn. “Maki.” Leaning back, she pressed her forehead to Maki’s. “Look at me.”  
  
Maki forced her eyes open to meet Eli’s intense gaze.  The blonde’s eyes were slightly damp, the blue of them even brighter than usual because of the added moisture. Both of them leaned forward and let their lips meet. The final cry that Maki released was muffled by the kiss and she clung tighter to Eli.

The kiss was broken slowly when Maki had to turn her head to the side. She let her body land softly on top of Eli, her head comfortably resting on Eli’s chest. She breathed heavily as she tried to control her beating heart. She felt Eli’s fingers comb tenderly through her hair and tilted her head from the side to get a better look at the quarter Russian.

“I’m so in love with you.” Eli whispered in the dark her eyes glimmering as she look into Maki’s lilac orbs. She closed her eyes and she felt Maki shift.

A pair of soft lips brushed upon her own. It was a closed, chaste kiss. It was gentle, similar to the one they had shared under the stars. The one that had happened after Maki told her the story about Princess Orihime and Hikoboshi the cow herder.

When she pulled away she realized that Maki was crying. Her face was wet with streaks of her tears. She pulled Maki by her arm and gathered her into her awaiting arms.  She wanted to protect this girl with her life. She’d already gone through more than she deserved. “I swear to you we’ll get through this. I’ll talk to your father Maki, I want you to know you’re not alone. You have me and I’ll do anything for you.”

Maki felt her tears begin to fall even more down her cheeks. She wrapped her arms tightly around Eli and sobbed silently into her. She was so happy and yet so scared. She loved Eli so much, she didn’t know she’ll ever be able to let her go. She needed Eli and somehow she knew Eli needed her just as much. But that didn’t change the fact that one day, Eli would inevitably break her heart. “Don’t..” She muttered.  She didn’t want to think about that. “Please, I just want to hold you. I don’t want to think about him. Eli just…be here. Right now, that’s all I need.”

Eli nodded as she sat up and grabbed the sheets, pulling them over herself and Maki. She tucked Maki into her as she adjusted herself. Soon the two found themselves facing one another, their arms tangled together and Eli gently stroking Maki’s sensitive bruise. Eli leaned in and pressed her lips gently to Maki’s forehead,  a tiny smile gracing her features.   
  
Maki calmed down beneath Eli’s touch and watched as the blonde slowly pulled back. “Eli.” She whispered, her voice slightly hoarse now. She curled her arm tighter around the older girl. “I love you.”  
  
Eli smiled gently at sweet answer. She closed her eyes slowly, comfortable with Maki’s presence next to her. It didn’t take long for both of them to doze off.   
  


—

The shrill sound of ringing woke Maki up but she didn’t react right away, opting instead to turn her face into the warm chest beneath her cheek. She hummed contentedly, only half awake. Familiar arms were wrapped around her, bare skin pressing comfortingly against her own. The ringing stopped and she almost fell back to sleep. A few seconds later she was jerked fully awake when the ringing started again. She groaned and rolled away for Eli, leaning over the edge of the bed to fumble for her phone. Her hand closed around it and she groggily answered.

“Hello?” She mumbled, feeling Eli shift in the bed behind her. The only thing on her mind was hanging up the phone and crawling back into the blonde’s embrace.

“MAKI-CHAN!” Hanayo practically yelled into the phone. The sound was enough to send Maki shooting into an upright position, her eyes widening. “Where are you?! Are you okay?”

“W-What?” For the first time, Maki noticed daylight filtering through the curtains. She hadn’t meant to fall asleep for so long, she had meant to wake up after a couple of hours. “Shit…” She quickly stood from the bed. “Hanayo, I’m so sorry. I didn’t realize how late it was getting.”   
  
Eli rubbed tiredly at her eyes as she watched Maki hurry around the room, anxiously grabbing her clothes. “Maki?”

Maki glanced briefly in Eli’s direction, noticing her staring. “Don’t watch me, I’m still naked!”

“Naked?” Hanayo echoed shrilly on the other end of the line. She sounded even more worried than she had before if that was at all possible. “Maki-chan, where are you? I’ll come and meet you.”

Maki blushed furiously at the fact that she’d said that into the phone. “I-I’m fine, really.” She quickly tugged on her jeans and turned away from Eli to hide everything else. “I’m coming to your house.” She picked up her bra and glanced over her shoulder at Eli. She didn’t fail to notice the saddened look on Eli’s face. “I won’t be long.” She hung up the phone and slipped it into her pocket, in a hurry to finish changing.

She quickly tugged her bra on before turning back to Eli. “I have to go.” She wished she could stay but she needed to see Hanayo. She moved to Eli’s side of the bed, picking Hanayo’s sweater up and leaned down to eye level. She was slightly hurt that Eli avoided her eyes. “Eli.”

Eli sighed and looked down at the sweater in Maki’s hand. “You can take a clean one from my dresser if you want. I don’t mind. You should probably wear something clean anyway.”

“I will, thank you.” Maki pressed her hand gently against Eli’s cheek and turned her head toward her. She leaned in and kissed her softly, allowing herself to linger for a long moment before she pulled away. “I really have to go.” She turned before Eli could recapture her lips and moved across the room to get another sweater.

She opened Eli’s dresser and paused in confusion when she found a familiar hoodie in there. “Oh.” She brushed her fingers against the fabric. “You still have my hoodie?”

Eli smiled at the question as she held the blankets up to her chest. “Of course. I wouldn’t throw it away. It’s important to me.”  
  
Maki blushed and hurriedly turned away, grabbing another sweater. She could have taken the hoodie but for some reason she wanted to leave that with Eli. “I’ll see you later.” She tugged her sweater on and cast one last glance at Eli before she quickly left the room.

Eli watched as Maki left. She didn’t know how to feel. Maybe their decision to have sex the previous night had been rash but she didn’t regret it. She hoped Maki didn’t either. She got up after a moment and walked over to the dress. She pulled the hoodie Maki had noticed on and lifted the collar over her nose, inhaling deeply.

—

Maki breathed out a sigh as she stepped onto the platform. It felt like she had been travelling for hours but it really hadn’t been long at all. She was surprised that only a few people were standing around. Because of that it didn’t take her more than a few seconds to notice Hanayo standing on the platform. “Hanayo?”

Hanayo had been anxiously scanning the carriages for any sign of Maki though she was quickly distracted by the sound of her voice. “Maki!-chan” She hurried forward toward her friend though she drew to an abrupt halt a few feet from her. “Where have you been? Do you have any idea how worried I’ve been about you?! I’ve been up all night looking for you. In the park, near your house, at the school…”

Maki watched speechlessly as Hanayo’s eyes filled with tears as she spoke. She’d clearly already been shedding them.

“I thought you’d done something to yourself, I thought something bad had happened to you!” Hanayo’s voice was loud, that along with her tears drawing the attention of the people around them. “I didn’t even call Rin-chan because I was so worried!” She swiped at her tears, knocking her glasses askew. “Maki-chan, you idiot!”  
  
Maki’s eyes widened at the accusation and she quickly stepped forward, drawing Hanayo into a hurried embrace. “I’m sorry.” She said quietly, her hand moving to the back of Hanayo’s head to hold her close. “I didn’t mean to worry you. I should have called.” She felt Hanayo try to pull away, probably to yell at her some more but held tighter. “I was with Eli, alright? I’ll explain when we get back to your house.”

Hanayo relaxed in Maki’s embrace and nodded against her. She felt Maki exhaled in relief, the rush of air grazing her temple and slowly Maki’s grip on her loosened. She didn’t pull away right away, choosing to stay pressed close to her friend. Finally she stepped back, her eyes finding familiar lilac ones.

She’d had no trouble keeping her eyes open before, having been running on adrenaline it seemed but suddenly they felt heavy and she swayed slightly. She felt Maki move to support her with an arm around her shoulders and she managed a small smile in response despite her simmering anger.

“Let’s go.” Maki whispered without releasing Hanayo from her grip. The guilt she felt at being the cause of Hanayo staying out all night was indescribable. Together they walked back to Hanayo’s house in silence. Neither of them spoke until they were safely in Hanayo’s room.

Hanayo stepped away from Maki and eyed the sweater she was wearing. For the past few days or so Maki had been borrowing her clothes. She knew that didn’t belong to her. “Did you…?” She trailed off uncertainly, not sure what to say. “With Eli again?”

Maki hesitated for a moment before she gave a nod. “Yeah. I…didn’t mean for it to happen, it just did.”

Hanayo looked anywhere but at Maki in an attempt to hide the disappointment she felt. She knew it wasn’t what Maki needed to see at the minute. Still, she didn’t like the idea of Maki going to Eli for that. It was none of her business, not really, she was just trying to be there for Maki but she couldn’t help how she felt. “Oh.”

Maki wanted to question Hanayo’s reaction but for the moment she was too distracted by the fact that the other girl was swaying on her feet. It was sweet, that Hanayo had spent the whole night looking for her, but it just made Maki feel guilty. “You were really out all night looking for me?” She stepped forward, coming to a stop close to Hanayo.

“Of course. I was worried about you. You should have called me, Maki-chan.” Hanayo looked up at Maki but considering how tired she was the glare she gave the redhead wasn’t very threatening.

“Thank you,Hanayo. I’m sorry I didn’t call.” It was hard to focus on anything else when she was with Eli. It was like the world just melted away. She reached up and gently slid Hanayo’s glasses from her face. “Get some sleep. I’ll be here when you wake up.”

Hanayo couldn’t find the energy to put up a fight. Instead, she crawled onto her bed without putting up a fight and curled up on her side. She felt Maki join her a few minutes later, the bed dipping from her weight. She opened one eye to see that Maki was lying on her back close by, her eyes fixed to the ceiling.   
  
Maki bit her lip. She could feel Hanayo looking at her but she couldn’t meet her gaze. Not while saying what she was about to. “I don’t know what I would have done without you for the past week, Hanayo. I-I don’t deserve all of…”

“Be quiet, Maki-chan.” Hanayo reached down and grabbed Maki’s hand, holding onto it tightly. “You’re my friend and I care about you. Of course I’ll be here. Even if…” She wavered, thinking about what she’d heard over the phone. She didn’t agree with what Maki and Eli were doing, but she refused to abandon Maki again.

Maki hadn’t failed to notice the look on Hanayo’s face earlier, when they had spoken in the subway. “Even if I’m in love with Eli?” She prompted softly. “I know you don’t like it, Hanayo. That’s okay, just…I need you as my friend.”

Hanayo closed her eyes, flinching at the revelation that Maki’s feelings ran so deep. Still, she knew what Maki was asking. She was asking her not to leave her. “You’ll always have me.”

Maki breathed out a sigh of relief and gave Hanayo’s hand a gentle squeeze. Silence fell and she listened as Hanayo’s breathing evened out. Closing her eyes, she tried not to think of the complicated situation she was in with Eli.


	10. Chapter 10

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> AND HERE'S THE OTHER CHAPTER :)

“We’re going out tonight.” Nico announced in a tone that left no room for argument. They were on their way home from school - or rather, back to Nozomi’s apartment since that was where she spent the majority of her time now. **  
**

Nozomi, having been distracted by her thoughts, looked up in surprise. “What?”

“We’re going out tonight.” Nico repeated slowly with a roll of her eyes. It was like Nozomi wasn’t even there sometimes. Her mind always seemed to be on something else.

“Are you asking me out on a date, Nicocchi?” Nozomi teased with a small smile that didn’t quite reach her eyes.

Nico shrugged her shoulders. “You need to get out and do something other than mope. I’m sick of seeing that stupid look on your face.”

Over the past few days Nozomi seemed to have been getting better. She didn’t wear Eli’s sweater anymore, at least when Nico was there, and she hadn’t burst into random tears in response to anything that reminded her of Eli. That was certainly a good thing. On the nights Nico had stayed over she’d caught her crying softly into her pillow though, obviously trying not to be heard. It made Nico’s chest ache to see Nozomi so upset. It wasn’t something she was at all used to seeing.

Nozomi took a moment to consider it before she nodded slowly. “Alright, Nicocchi. We’ll go out tonight.” Maybe she could distract herself from Eli for a while. Having Nico around seemed to help a bit with that anyway.

Nico’s step momentarily faltered, causing her to fall behind. She hadn’t expected it to be that easy. She’d expected to have to pry Nozomi from her bed and drag her out of the door. She jogged to make up the steps she’d missed. “Really? Are you feeling okay?”

Nozomi gave a gentle laugh at the question. “Of course. You’re right, I can’t mope forever.” It was pathetic, really. She couldn’t remember ever feeling so down about anything before. “I need to pull myself together.” It was easier said than done, but she needed to.

“Oh.” Nico said in surprise. She adjusted her school bag on her shoulder, taking a moment to consider what Nozomi was saying. She hadn’t expected even the resilient third year to bounce back so quickly. She was tempted to ask if this meant that Nozomi no longer wanted Eli back but she stayed quiet. It was best not to bring her name up.

Nozomi nodded resolutely. Even if she could only have Eli as a friend, it was better than losing her altogether. She could pretend to be okay with Eli and Maki. At least she hoped she could. She didn’t tell Nico that, all too aware of how the smaller girl would react to the news. She knew how pathetic it was but she didn’t feel like she’d just lost her girlfriend. She had lost her best friend at the same time.   
  
They reached Nozomi’s apartment and Nico cast a sidelong glance at Nozomi as the purple haired girl unlocked the door. She was concerned that she wasn’t being honest about how she felt but she knew there wasn’t anything she could do. Sighing, she followed Nozomi into the apartment.

—

Maki kept her head down as she walked down the corridor, doing her utmost to ignore the stares and whispers that seemed to follow her everywhere. It was hard just to be there but it wasn’t as bad as it once had been. She supposed she had Rin to thank for that. She had seen the three girls once and they had all scurried away from her as quickly as they could. It was like they were afraid of her or something.

She glanced up as she approached the student council room, noticing that the door was closed. It was the only place she hadn’t checked. She had been looking for Eli for a while now, having decided to seek her out so they could talk for a while. It seemed like they had hardly spoken since they’d slept together a few nights ago. She was mostly to blame for that. She knew that the idea of her being with Eli romantically made Hanayo uncomfortable and that was the last thing she wanted after Hanayo had been so good to her.   
  
She paused briefly outside of the student council room, hearing the sound of soft sniffling coming from inside. Her brow furrowed slightly in confusion and she carefully pushed down on the door handle, easing the door open. It creaked slightly and Eli, who had been sitting in the seat she used to occupy when she was the Student Council President, looked up sharply.

“Maki! W-What are you doing here?”

Maki stepped inside, noticing Eli swiping quickly at her eyes. “Were you crying?” She asked, her cheeks coloring just a little bit at the personal question.

“Crying? No, I just had something in my eye.” Eli lied, standing up from her seat. She crossed the room toward Maki who closed the door behind her. “Were you looking for me?”

Maki nodded her head though she was determined not to be swayed from her initial question. She knew that Eli wasn’t being honest with her. “What’s wrong? Why are you in here?”

“Oh uh…” Eli gave a sheepish laugh and rubbed the back of her neck. “Just reminiscing about my old student council days, I suppose. Everything’s going to be changing soon, when I leave…” She trailed off wistfully, glancing back at the two seats. She used to sit there with Nozomi, all of the time. They had shared their first kiss in that very room. “So what did you need?”

“I just wanted to have dinner with you but if you’re busy…”

“No! I’m not busy.” Eli answered quickly. A distraction would be more than welcome at the minute. “I’d be happy to have dinner with you.”  
  
Maki smiled softly at the quick response and reached for Eli’s hand. Her gaze dropped and she watched their digits gently intertwine. Something was wrong, she could feel it. “We can go to the park after.” She said hopefully. “Where we went for our first date.”

“That would be nice.” Eli whispered, giving Maki’s hand a gentle squeeze. She remembered their first date vividly. For a while she’d been able to pretend they were a normal couple, going on their first date together. But they weren’t. Not really. She fell silent, glancing back toward the two seats in the student council room one more time before she let Maki lead her out.

—

Maki closed her eyes as she leaned into Eli’s warmth. Standing like this, her arms around Eli and Eli’s arms around her in turn as they swayed to the soft sound of the music filtering down from the stage she was sure she had never felt more at peace.

She felt Eli’s head turn, a kiss being pressed to the side of her neck and she smiled faintly at the sensation. What they were doing now was reminiscent of their first date yet at the same time it felt a lot different to then.

“I was thinking…” Eli leaned her head back slightly so she could look at Maki. “Maybe I could speak to your father. Or I could go with you when you speak to him.” It had been playing on her mind for some time now though she hadn’t brought it up yet. “I want to be there for you when you speak with him.”  
  
Nozomi was trekking through the park in hopes of finding Nico again when she spotted the two. She knew she shouldn’t but against her better judgement, she approached them. She wasn’t sure what she was going to do. Maybe speak to them but when she saw the position they were in she stopped short.

Maki’s lips turned up just a little bit at the suggestion. It was sweet, though she wasn’t sure she would take Eli up on her offer. She didn’t want to rope her into the mess with her family. “Maybe.” She answered softly, her eyes meeting intense blue. “I don’t want to think about that tonight, I just want to think about being here with you.” She watched as Eli’s eyes lit up slightly at the response, a smile finally forming on her lips. “There.” She gently brushed her fingers over Eli’s smiling lips. “That’s a bit better.”

Eli raised a questioning eyebrow at the statement. “A bit?” She questioned softly, barely resisting the urge to close her eyes as Maki’s fingers strayed from her lips to her cheek.

“I know you want to help me.” Maki’s gaze trailed after her wandering fingers. It was easier than looking Eli directly in the eye. “But I feel the same way about you. You’ve been sadder than usual lately.”  
  
Nozomi’s breath caught in her throat at the observation and she looked toward Eli’s face, noticing the slight hint of sadness on her features. It was subtle but it was there. She should have noticed that before.

Eli gave a nervous laugh. “Don’t be silly. I’m alright, Maki. You know me.”

“I know you don’t have anyone.” Maki’s answer was as abrupt as usual but her voice was gentle. “I have Hanayo, Rin…who do you have besides me?”

Nozomi clenched her hands at her sides. She wanted to protest and say that Eli would always have her but she knew it wasn’t true at the moment. Her gaze lingered on Maki’s gently moving fingers and her hands clenched at her sides. She noticed that Maki’s sleeves were just a little bit too long for her, going over her hands. It didn’t take her more than a few seconds to recognize the sweater as Eli’s. A sickening jealousy formed within her gut at the sight. She remembered a time when the only person to receive such treatment from Eli had been her. A jacket casually slung over her shoulders when she’d shivered on their first official date, slipping into a warm sweater the morning after their first time only for it to end up on the floor again not even an hour later…

Eli looked away, swallowing thickly at the answer. “It’s fine. It doesn’t matter, Maki. I’m fine.” It was like she was trying to convince herself. She missed Nozomi terribly. Nico and the rest of her friends too. She was truly alone in a way she hadn’t been since she’d met Nozomi.

“You’re not fine.” Maki gently cupped Eli’s jaw and pushed up, their eyes meeting. “You’re not, Eli.” She remembered how Eli had broken down when they’d slept together, the second time. “It’s alright. Neither am I.”  
  


She felt the prickle of tears beginning to gather within her eyes and had to wipe them so that Eli didn’t see. She knew the blonde would want to fix it, she always wanted to fix everything. Maki wrapped her arms tighter around Eli, resting her forehead on the taller girl’s chest so that she could calm herself.   
  
“I’m sorry.” This was her fault. The only reason Eli wasn’t happy with Nozomi as she had been before was that she had inconvenient feelings for Maki. “Just tell me why you’re so sad all of the time.”

“I-I can’t.” Eli’s hand moved to the back of Maki’s head and she gently brushed her fingers through soft red hair. She couldn’t tell Maki that she was worried Nozomi would grow to hate her, just like Nico did. The thought was unbearable. She wasn’t even sure she could say it out loud. “Maki?”

Maki slowly raised her head to meet Eli’s saddened blue eyes. She hated seeing that look in them but she didn’t know what she could do to make it go away. “I just want you to be happy.”

A lump formed in Eli’s throat at the meaningful response. “I am.” She answered softly, reaching up to brush a strand of Maki’s hair behind her ear. The violet eyes that stared back at her seemed to peer right into her.

Maki grasped Eli’s hand and leaned in to press a sweet kiss to her lips. She lingered for a moment, feeling Eli carefully kiss her back before she slowly pulled away.

Nozomi felt her eyes prickle as she watched the two of them. Seeing Eli touching someone else in that way hurt her more than she’d thought she could hurt.

Eli exhaled slowly, the ache that seemed to constantly reside in her chest lessened by the gentle kiss. “I love you.”

Maki smiled at the words. She didn’t think she would ever get used to hearing that. “I love you too.” She answered, squeezing the hand she still held in her own.

Nozomi’s chest constricted. She felt like she couldn’t catch her breath. So it was official that Eli was in love with Maki. She wasn’t sure she could compete against that. She bit down hard on her lower lip, feeling tears gathering in her eyes but she couldn’t look away from Eli and Maki. The way they were looking at each other reminded her of the way Eli had once looked at her. Now only guilt filled Eli’s eyes when she looked at her.

She felt a hand on her arm and flinched in surprise. She turned her gaze toward the source of the touch and found Nico staring at her in concern. She had completely forgotten that she’d been looking for her when she had stumbled upon Eli and Maki.

“Nozomi…”

The gentle tone of Nico’s voice was the last straw and Nozomi broke away from the hold on her arm. She hurried away, tears blurring her vision. She didn’t know how long she ran but soon enough the ache in her side matched the one in her chest and she collapsed to her knees on a grassy verge. She’d told herself that she could do this, that she could try to feel better after Eli had broken up with her but seeing them together hurt more than anything she had ever felt.

She leaned forward, resting her forehead against her folder arms and sobbed earnestly into them. It wasn’t fair. She hadn’t done anything wrong, had she? She had been so happy when Eli had confessed to her and then to have her torn away overnight…maybe it would have been better if they had just stayed friends. Seeing her with Maki would surely hurt less if she’d never known what it was like to be with Eli.

She heard the sound of someone running up behind her and for a second the idea that it could be Eli crossed her mind. When she looked up she found it was only a red-faced, out of breath Nico and she wondered when she had turned into this person. Into someone who hoped the person they love would rush after them, someone who needed that.

Nico was bent over, her hands on her knees as she tried to catch her breath. She had briefly considered staying behind to give Eli and Maki a piece of her mind but Nozomi took priority over those two idiots. They hadn’t noticed anything besides each other, as usual. It was so annoying. “Nozomi…”

“I thought I could do this, Nicocchi. I thought I could be okay with it but I can’t.” Nozomi said tearfully as she watched Nico pace toward her. She hated that she had grown to rely so much on her fellow third year. “It just…oh god, it hurts so much…”

Nico sank to her knees in front of Nozomi. It hurt her, to see Nozomi in such a state. This wasn’t her, this was a heartbroken shell of the person she’d once been. Usually Nozomi kept her feelings bottled up. To see her so devastated that she couldn’t even do that infuriated Nico.

Nozomi rubbed at her eyes with her sleeve to stop her her tears but they kept coming no matter how hard she tried. “I love her so much, Nicocchi. But she’s never going to love me.” Not the way she wanted her to, at least. Otherwise she wouldn’t have cheated. “She doesn’t love me.” She buried her face in her hands, choked sobs escaping her as the realization sank in. “I just…want her back.”

A hand came to rest on her shoulder after a few minutes and she looked up to find tears in Nico’s eyes. She hadn’t thought her chest could get any tighter but it did. “W-Why are you crying, Nicocchi?”

Nico shook her head, certain that she couldn’t speak. She hated them, she hated both of them for what they had done to Nozomi. “Because you’re crying! Idiot.” She finally said, her voice choked with emotion. She sank toward Nozomi, wrapping her arms tightly around her neck. It wasn’t fair that this was happening to Nozomi. None of it was fair.

Nozomi automatically returned the embrace, her head coming to rest on Nico’s shoulder. It would be so much easier if she was in love with someone like Nico but she couldn’t change the fact that she only had eyes for one person. “I’ve really lost her, haven’t I, Nicocchi?”

Nico squeezed her eyes shut at the heartbroken question. Unable to answer, she merely tightened her hold on Nozomi.

—

Honoka lifted her free hand and knocked on Eli’s front door. In the other, she held a package of chocolates she’d brought from the store. When Maki had told her that Eli needed a friend she had been all too happy to say yes to the request. She rarely got to help the third years, though in some ways she felt a bit guilty. Almost like she was betraying Nozomi in a way. Kotori had assured her that wasn’t true when she had asked but she was still a bit concerned.

  
Finally the door opened and Eli appeared, dressed in casual jeans and a loose hoodie. She looked surprised to see Honoka but what the ginger haired girl noticed right away was the weariness on Eli’s face. “Honoka?”

“Can I come in?” Honoka held up the package in her hands and offered a bright smile. “I brought chocolate!”  
  
Eli eyed the box in Honoka’s hands, torn about whether to let her in or not. Finally, she relented and opened the door to let Honoka pass. “My mom is still at work and Arisa is…”  
  
“With Yukiho. I know, I was just there.” Honoka answered, glancing around curiously. “She wanted me to tell you she’ll be home in time for dinner tonight. I’ll walk back with her if it’s dark.”  
  
Eli’s lips turned up just slightly at the offer. “Let’s go up to my room.” She turned and led the way to her room, hearing Honoka following close behind after slipping her shoes off. It was strange, for the second year to drop in so suddenly and she couldn’t help but wonder about the reason.  
  
She stepped into her room and moved to take a seat at her desk. She watched as Honoka made herself at home as usual, plopping down onto the bed without asking. It was so typical of her and Eli couldn’t help but feel reassured by the normal behavior.

“I’m surprised you’re here.” She said quietly as she watched Honoka scan the room in interest. It seemed like the entire group was angry with her, even Honoka. Somehow Honoka’s silent disapproval stung more than anyone else’s reaction, besides Nozomi’s. “I thought you’d be mad at me. The others seem to be.”

Honoka was silent for a moment, thinking about what to say. “I’m not mad at you, Eli-senpai. I’m just disappointed.”

“What?” Eli’s eyes widened briefly at the answer. For a moment she felt like she could burst out laughing though the familiar tightness in her chest kept her from doing so.

Honoka nodded resolutely, comfortable with how she’d summed up her feelings. “Maki-chan told me you’ve been upset lately. I’m…sorry I didn’t talk to you sooner.” She had spoken to Maki and Nozomi but she hadn’t been able to face Eli properly.

Eli shrugged her shoulders in response. “Maki told you to come?” She repeated quietly, remember her discussion with the redhead the night before. It seemed that Maki hadn’t believed her when she’d said she was fine. “I’m alright.”

“Maki-chan said you would say that.” Honoka said pointedly. She wasn’t going to be swayed from helping Eli. “She said I should be just as stubborn.”  
  
Eli looked down at her lap and took a shuddering breath. “She’s more than I deserve.” She muttered, toying idly with the edge of her desk. “I…don’t know. I know I should be happy because Maki and I are in a good place right now…kind of, but I don’t know, I don’t feel happy. I feel empty.” Her hand lifted to grip her shirt over her chest.   
  
Honoka nodded slowly. “You miss Nozomi-chan.”

Eli’s grip on her shirt tightened, her eyes misting over with tears. “Yeah.” She whispered, her thoughts shifting to Nozomi. She missed simply being with her, seeing her smile and hearing her laugh. It was horribly selfish of her. “She probably hates me. I wouldn’t blame her if she hates me.”

“That’s stupid.” The answer was unusually blunt for Honoka and Eli’s gaze shot up in surprise. “Nozomi-chan loves you more than anything, even now. She’s hurting because you’re not with her, because…” She hesitated nervously, licking her lips. “She’s not sure if you love her.”

Eli bit the inside of her cheek, doing her utmost not to break into tears. “I do love her. I love her so much, I just…I love Maki too. I love both of them and it’s so confusing, Honoka. I know you don’t understand but I…”

“I understand.” Honoka interrupted with a shake of her head. She glanced down at the box she held in her hands. “Before I um…before I started dating Kotori-chan I thought I might be in love with someone else. I think I was, but I made my choice.”  
  
She didn’t regret it, not for a second, but she couldn’t help but wonder how things would have turned out if she’d pursued her relationship with Umi. It had just been a kiss but she knew it meant more than that. She could tell by the look on Umi’s face when they’d pulled away. They had both brushed it off as a spur of the moment kiss between friends but Umi had looked hurt.

“You’ll have to hurt one of them, whether you want to or not. If they both love you, they can’t help it, even if you think you don’t deserve of it.”

Eli was silent for a moment, surprised by the level of understanding. “I don’t know how to choose, Honoka. I don’t want to lose either of them.”

“I know.” Noticing the tears that had gathered in Eli’s eyes, Honoka set the chocolates down on the bed next to her and stood, quickly crossing the room. Without missing a beat, she leaned down and wrapped her arms around Eli’s shoulders, pulling her close.

Eli’s eyes widened at the sudden movement but it only took her a few seconds to sink into the embrace, her hands coming up to clutch the back of Honoka’s shirt. She tried her utmost to hold back her tears but they came faster than she could stop them and soon enough she was crying openly into the crook of Honoka’s neck.


	11. Chapter 11

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So as I mentioned last chapter, I want to tell you the 'endgame' ships for this just to avoid disappointment. So yeah, here goes (Spoilers obviously):
> 
> EliMaki  
> NozoNico  
> HonoUmi. 
> 
> And that about covers it! Just so you can make an educated decision about whether to continue. :)

Nozomi walked down the corridor, her shoulders slightly more slumped than usual. It was hard to be enthused about anything after everything that had happened over the past weeks. She still had Muse, though not really. As much as she didn’t want to admit it, it wasn’t the same without Maki there. Eli too. Though the blonde hadn’t left the group she hardly showed up for practice anymore. Even Honoka, who tried to stay upbeat was feeling the absence of the two. Nico was acting as if nothing was wrong. Or trying to, at least. **  
**

Lost in her thoughts, she almost didn’t notice the second year shiftily approach her. “N-Nozomi-senpai?”

“Hmm?” She stopped, finding her path suddenly blocked. “Oh, um…yes?” She braced herself, half expecting more condolences to be given. Or another confession. After breaking up with Eli, the rest of the school seemed to think she was available. It couldn’t be less true.

“Um…” The girl looked over her shoulder at her two friends across the corridor. When Nozomi looked over they pretended to be talking between themselves. “It’s…well…Ayase-senpai.”

“Elichi?” Nozomi was instantly alert, her eyes widening slightly in alarm. “What do you mean? What’s wrong?”

“It’s just…” The girl looked even more nervous now that she had Nozomi’s full attention fixed on her. She awkwardly rubbed the back of her neck. She took a deep breath and hurried through what she had to say. “She’s crying in the student council room and she won’t let anyone in!”

“What?” Nozomi struggled to process what she was hearing. Eli had always been the type to hold her emotions in, especially at school. Before the girl could answer her, she was hurrying down the hallway, making a beeline for the student council room. When she got there she found Kotori, Umi and Maki standing outside. She almost faltered at the sight of the redhead but pushed on. “What’s going on?”

Kotori shifted anxiously from foot to foot. “Eli-chan won’t let anyone in.”

“Eli?” Maki rapped on the door for what must have been the tenth time. “Eli, let me in. Come on, just open the door.”

Behind the door Nozomi could hear a soft sniffling but nothing beyond that. It didn’t even seem that Eli was listening to what was being said.

“Honoka might have a key.” Umi suggested thoughtfully, glancing between Maki, Nozomi and Kotori. “Maybe I should go and get her.”

Nozomi shook her head. “I’ve got this, just go home.” She turned a pointed look toward Maki. Maybe it was selfish of her but she didn’t want Maki anywhere near Eli. It was definitely selfish of her. She felt her stomach churn with guilt. “All of you. She doesn’t need us crowding her if she’s upset.”

“But…” Maki turned to Nozomi but found that she couldn’t argue. She still felt too guilty about what she had done to her friend. She trailed off, nodding reluctantly. “Here. She…dropped this.”

Nozomi automatically took whatever Maki was handing her but waited until Umi and Kotori had led the first year away before she looked down at what was in her hand. A delicately woven friendship bracelet, cerulein in color. She was reminded of a similar one she had, though hers was purple.

“Uh…Nozomi?”

Nozomi looked up from the club request form she was scanning, her curious gaze finding Eli’s nervous face. She was surprised to find that the blonde had gotten up from her seat and was now standing in front of her, her hands behind her back. She smiled fondly at the sight. “What do you have there, Elichi?” She teased, leaning to the side in an attempt to see. She pouted as Eli mimicked the movement so she couldn’t see.

“It’s just…” Eli stepped forward and dropped the handmade bracelet in her hand in front of Nozomi. “I made this for you. To match the one you made me.” She held up her arm, showing the blue bracelet around her wrist.

Surprised, Nozomi glanced between the bracelet and Eli for a moment before breaking into a grin. “Put it on for me?” She stuck her wrist out and watched as Eli grumbled under her breath. It didn’t take her long to do as she was asked though, picking up the bracelet and fixing it in place on Nozomi’s wrist.

Nozomi noticed Eli begin to move away after and grabbed her hand, using her other on the desk to push herself to her feet. “Thank you, Elichi.” She leaned in and brushed her lips against Eli’s cheek. “I’ll treasure it.”

Eli blushed crimson and gave a hurried nod before she rushed off to take her seat again.

Nozomi slipped her hand into her pocket, pulling out the spare key she kept. She should have handed it in but it didn’t seem that the school knew that the spare existed. She looked this way and that to make sure the coast was clear before she quickly took the key out and unlocked the door. She let herself in, her gaze quickly finding Eli.

The blonde was sitting in the chair she used to sit in when she was student council president, her knees pulled to her chest. She was crying softly into them, obviously trying to silence herself. Nozomi was reminded of Maki’s words from less than a week ago.

“Just tell me why you’re so sad all of the time.”

Nozomi’s eyes smarted at the sorry state Eli was in and before she knew what she was doing, she was crossing the room to her. She didn’t say anything, she just sat down next to Eli and took her hand, waiting patiently for teary blue eyes to rise to meet her own.

“Nozomi…” Eli hiccuped on her tears, the sound bringing a sad smile to Nozomi’s face. “What…what are you doing here?”

“I heard you were upset.” Nozomi said quietly though even she wasn’t sure why she’d come running after everything Eli had done. Still, seeing her friend so upset was too much for her.

“But…why are you here?” Eli blinked in confusion, sending the tears that had lingered in her eyes to spill over, streaking their way down her cheeks.

Nozomi ignored the question, looking down at the bracelet instead. “Why are you upset?”

“I…” Eli’s gaze followed Nozomi’s to the bracelet. “I found it at the bottom of my bag, when I was looking for one of my textbooks to…to take home.” She swallowed heavily against the lump in her throat, feeling her cheeks flush with embarrassment. Maki had been right there, to see her get upset. She could only imagine the way her expression must have crumbled in grief at the sight of the bracelet.

“I remember when I gave you this.” Nozomi said softly, her thumb gently brushing over the bracelet. “And when you gave me mine. I figured…we’d never take them off. It’s stupid.”

“It’s not.” Eli brushed her tears from her cheeks using her sleeve. “I thought the same thing.”

Nozomi gave a soft hum. “Everything is different now. I figured we would be together forever somehow. We’d go to college together, get jobs together, get an apartment, get old…” She wasn’t sure whether to laugh or cry at her naive dreams. “It’s different.”  
  
She’d always assumed they would never be parted, that nobody could come between the two of them but she’d been wrong about that.

“Nozomi.” Eli’s voice was steadier now but there was still a quiver. “Why are you here?”

“Because I love you.” Nozomi answered, certain that was the reason. “And because I hate seeing you upset. You know I do.” She had never been very comfortable with seeing Eli cry. She hated it in fact. “How could I not come?”

Eli was silent and Nozomi flinched ever so slightly when a hand reached out, fingers skimming the woven bracelet in her hand.

“C-Can I keep it?” Eli asked hopefully, her voice thick with emotion this time. “I know I don’t deserve to wear it but…”

“Keep it.” Nozomi looked up as Eli trailed off, finding the blonde closer than she had been before. “Whether you deserve it or not, I want you to keep it. I may not wear mine but I’m never going to let it go either.”

It was silent for a moment and she looked up in time to see Eli’s eyes flood with tears again. She bit her lip, blinking against her own.

“I miss you so much, Nozomi.” Eli’s hand clasped Nozomi’s, the bracelet digging into both of their palms between them. “I’m sorry, I’m so…”

“Elichi.” Nozomi’s free hand went to the back of Eli’s head and she moved forward, pressing their foreheads together. “I know. I know, okay? You don’t need to say it.”

Eli shook her head, tears spilling as she did so. “I do. I hurt you and I’m…I’m so sorry. I just…I hate this.. I hate being without you. I hate that you probably hate me. I…”

“Elichi.” Nozomi said again, her voice firmer this time. Gently, she pressed her lips against Eli’s. Just a swift, sweet kiss. “I love you.”

She was sure it didn’t matter how much the blonde hurt her, there was no way she would ever hate her.

She was surprised when Eli didn’t push her away but chased her lips with her own instead, kissing her again. Their hands tightened their grip on each other’s and Nozomi felt her heart leap to her throat. She’d thought she would never get to kiss Eli again, that Eli felt nothing for her. She couldn’t help but hope that she might have been wrong about that. About all of it.

She held Eli closer still, unwilling to let go of her. Finally their lips parted but Eli didn’t move away like Nozomi had feared she would. Instead, she sank into her arms and tucked her face into her best friend’s neck.

Nozomi’s lips tingled in the wake of the kiss as she held Eli close to her. It hurt, to know that Eli might just run again but there was nothing she could do about that. All she could do was hope it wouldn’t happen.

—-

It had been almost a week since Maki had been to school. She hadn’t wanted to go back but she was conscious of what she might be missing while she was away. She knew her father would never forgive her if her grades slipped any more than they already had. Reluctantly she had let Hanayo, who was still kindly allowing her to stay with her, know that she would go back to school with her.   
  
Hanayo had looked relieved at first, then nervous. After Maki had pressed her for information she had revealed that she was worried about the girls who had targeted Maki. Though they were all in the same year it wasn’t as though she and Rin could stay with her all of the time. It just wasn’t possible, as much as they would have liked to.   
  
Maki was almost certain that Rin had scared the three girls off and had told Hanayo as much, assuring her she would be fine. Now that she was walking down the hallway, all eyes seemingly focused on her, she wasn’t so sure about that.   
  
People were whispering about her. Occasionally she would notice someone point over at her but she couldn’t bring herself to snap at them. She had no right to be indignant about what she had done to Nozomi. She was the one in the wrong and so she deserved whatever she got. It didn’t seem like Nozomi saw it that way. The memory of the third year stepping in to defend her when she’d been cornered by the three girls haunted her. She wished she knew why Nozomi had done that. She wasn’t sure she would have had their positions been reversed.   
  
She shuddered as the whispers continued. All she wanted was to get to her class without running into anyone. Unfortunately for her she had already had to part ways with Hanayo and Rin who needed to meet with Kotori for some reason. It was with a sinking feeling that Maki realized she wouldn’t be welcome. Kotori probably hated her as much as everyone else.   
  
Honoka didn’t, surprisingly, though really Maki supposed she shouldn’t have expected any less from the leader of Muse. All she wanted was what was best for her, it seemed. She didn’t deserve such kindness, from Honoka, Nozomi or Hanayo and Rin. Certainly not from Nozomi.   
  
“Nishikino.”   
  
Maki’s gaze had been glued to the floor as she walked but she paused at hearing a vaguely familiar voice. Hesitantly she looked up, her chest seizing with panic at the sight of the girl standing in front of her. It was one of the girls who'd cornered her in the bathroom. The one who’d gone so far as hitting her. All three of those girls had been avoiding her so far but that didn’t seem to be the case now. “You’ve got to be kidding me…”  
  
“Where’s your guard dog?” The girl asked, an irritated look on her face. “You obviously can’t fight your own battles so you have to send someone else after us, huh?”  
  
For the first time, Maki noticed the bruises on the other girl’s face and arms. Probably from Rin. “I didn’t tell her to do that. Rin’s protective and she does what she wants.”  
  
If anything the girl looked even more angry about that. “So her loyalty lies with you instead of with Nozomi-senpai? You’re all terrible friends. You two and Koizumi-san!”  
  
Maki bristled at the mention of Hanayo’s name. “Leave Hanayo out of it, she’s got nothing to do with this!”  
  
The girl didn’t even seem to hear what she was saying. “None of us understand why Eli-senpai would go from Nozomi-senpai to a first year. Especially someone like you.”  
  
Maki heard a murmur of agreement and realized that a crowd had formed around herself and the girl speaking to her. She swallowed thickly and inched back. She couldn’t imagine this ending well. She was hopeful that she would be able to hold her own against the girl if they got into a fight but she wouldn’t be able to do it half as well as Rin had.   
  
“What’s going on here?!”   
  
A familiar voice caught Maki’s attention and she finally tore her gaze away from the threatening student in front of her in time to see Eli elbow her way through the crowd. It seemed to only take the blonde a few seconds to realize what was going on as her features darkened quickly.   
  
Eli strode over to Maki, pointedly taking her hand. “Whatever this is, it needs to stop now. Maki is off limits. Do you understand me?” She looked at the suddenly nervous looking girl who’d been bullying Maki. “If this happens again there will be consequences.”  
  
“Y-You don’t have any authority. You’re not even student council president any more.”  
  
“No, but I am.”  
  
Maki had been busy gaping at Eli, stunned by how open she was being about their relationship. She was slightly embarrassed about the display but mostly it set her at ease. If Eli was being so open about it maybe it really did mean something more to her than just a fling. She looked up from their joined hands in time to see Honoka step through the parted crowd.   
  
“As Eli-senpai said, if anyone bullies Maki-chan they’ll have me to answer to.” Honoka stopped next to Maki, wearing the most serious expression the redhead had ever seen on her. “I won’t let anyone lay a hand on her.”  
  
Much to her embarrassment Maki felt her eyes prickle with tears at the show of support. She had thought she had lost all of her friends though it seemed that was limited to Nozomi, Nico, Kotori and Umi. It was bad enough to have lost the four of them. She gripped Eli’s hand back tightly.   
  
The girl muttered something Maki didn’t quite catch before she turned and hurried off down the hallway.  
  
“Classes are starting soon. Maybe you should all get going.” Honoka said dryly as she cast a look around at the whispering students that surrounded them. They quickly dispersed, clearly unnerved by the usually laid back girl’s serious tone.   
  
“Thank you, Honoka.” Eli said softly, shooting the girl an appreciative look.   
  
Honoka gave a nod in response, her features softening as she turned to Maki. “Are you okay, Maki-chan?”  
  
Maki merely mimicked Honoka’s nod, unable to speak past the lump in her throat.   
  
The serious look hadn’t left Honoka’s face until then but suddenly she gave a sheepish laugh and rubbed the back of her neck. “I need to find Kotori-chan and Umi-chan. Umi-chan will be mad if I’m late for class…”  
  
Maki watched as Honoka turned to hurry off. “Honoka!”  
  
She waited until Honoka paused and looked over her shoulder, a questioning look on her face. “Um…thank you. For not hating me.”  
  
Honoka smiled softly and shook her head. “I love Maki-chan no matter what. We all do.”  
  
Maki was glad that Honoka left after saying that as she felt tears dampen her eyes. She could tell that Honoka meant what she was saying. There was no way she’d lie about that. She felt fingers gently entwine with her own and glanced down just as Eli stepped closer. A hand went to the back of her head, a gentle kiss pressed to her temple.   
  
“Come on, Maki.” Eli’s voice was gentle as she spoke, giving Maki’s hand an encouraging squeeze. “I’ll walk you to class.”

Maki stared at Eli pensively for a moment. She was still worried about what had happened a few days before. She wanted to press Eli about it but she wasn’t sure it would help. Besides that, Eli seemed to be feeling better now. There was no way to tell if that would last.   
  
“You’ll be late though.” Maki said though she wasn’t exactly protesting. The open display of affection had given her hope, that maybe what they were doing meant as much to the blonde as it meant to her. “And people might talk if we walk along like this.”  
  
Eli shrugged carelessly and gave a soft smile. “Let them talk.”  
  
Maki had to bite her lip to keep from beaming in response as she allowed Eli to lead her down the hallway.


	12. Chapter 12

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Major drama and angst ahead, as is always the case with this particular fic! Hope you guys enjoy. Oh and M rated for sexual scenes. Very M rated.   
> Warning for bullying too?

  
_“Did you hear about what Ayase-san did?”_  
  
 _“Of course! Everyone is talking about it. She’s so bold, kissing Nishikino-chan right there in the hallway!”_  
  
Nozomi’s eye twitched, her grip on her pen tightening. The two girls sitting a few seats away from her weren’t being very subtle. Not that she hadn’t heard about Eli and Honoka heroically saving Maki from one of her bullies. She was glad that she hadn’t seen it firsthand at least. She wasn’t sure how she would have coped with that.   
  
The first girl who spoke nodded earnestly. Looking toward them out of the corner of her eye, Nozomi recognized her as Ichinose Mimori. She was a nice girl though she was known for spreading gossip. Here friend, Terakado Mae wasn’t much better.   
  
“I feel bad for Nozomi-san though.” Mae continued, glancing toward Nozomi who inhaled sharply through her teeth and looked down at her book. “It’s not fair that she got hurt and now those two are walking around like they’re proud of being together.”  
  
“I feel bad for her too but I think what they’re doing is brave.” Mimori replied with a sheepish shrug of her shoulders. “Especially Nishikino-chan. Did you hear that she’s being bullied because of what she did?”  
  
“If you ask me, she deserves it.” Another girl piped up. Nozomi didn’t look up to see who was speaking. “It makes me wonder what she has that Nozomi-san doesn’t have though. She must be something special. I mean she’s just a first year.”  
  
Nozomi bit down hard on her bottom lip, her eyes prickling with tears. She had wondered the same thing herself. She had been Eli’s friend longer than Maki had been. And Eli had been her girlfriend so what was it about Maki that made Eli want to throw everything they had away?  
  
“Maybe it was…well, you know.” Mimori whispered though Nozomi could still hear her quite clearly. “I heard they were doing…it. Maybe it was better.” Nozomi shrunk in on herself slightly, wondering when she had lost enough of herself that she would just sit and listen to this. “It couldn’t be anything else, right? Nozomi-san is…”  
  
“ENOUGH!” A loud bang rang out through the classroom and Nozomi looked up sharply, finding Nico standing in front of the desk the small group of girls were gathered around. Her fists were on the desk, letting Nozomi know exactly what had caused the loud noise. What she was more concerned about was the fact that Nico was visibly seething though, her eyes blazing with fury as she stared at the girls. She hadn’t even seen her enter the room. Nico must have lingered near the door when she’d heard the conversation.   
  
“N-Nico-san…” Mae stuttered, taking a step back from her furious classmate. “I-I didn’t…”  
  
“Why don’t you mind your own business, huh?!” Nico exclaimed, visibly shaking with anger. “She’s sitting two seats away from you idiots. Do you think she can’t  _hear_  you? She’s not deaf! If you want to know why Eli did what she did I’ll tell you. She’s an idiot. A selfish, insensitive idiot! The last thing she is is brave so keep your stupid opinions to yourselves!”  
  
“Um…Nico-chan?” Mimori nodded beyond Nico’s shoulder, causing her to turn around. She paused when she found Eli standing in the doorway, surprise evident on her face. Nico growled under her breath. Eli looked hurt too. She had no right to look hurt and make Nico feel guilty. “As for you, I…” She struggled to come up with something to say. She didn’t know what she wanted to say. “You’re just…”  
  
“Nicocchi.” Nozomi’s murmur successfully drew Nico’s attention back toward her. Nozomi gave a soft smile when Nico’s features softened at the sight of her. “Come and sit down. The teacher will be here soon and I don’t want you to get in trouble.”  
  
Nico looked like she wanted to argue but instead she made her way to Nozomi’s side. “You’re okay?” She asked softly so that nobody else could hear her. “They had no right to say that crap about you.”  
  
Nozomi gave a gentle laugh. “If we weren’t in class right now I would hug you. Or kiss you.” She teased, reaching out to grab Nico’s hand. She gave it a gentle squeeze. “Of course I’m okay. Thank you, Nicocchi.”  
  
She didn’t know what she would do without Nico. She had come to depend on her more than she really wanted to admit.  
  
Nico smiled brightly. It still looked somewhat forced though. “Let’s have lunch together after class, just you and me!”  
  
Nozomi nodded in response, a small smile on her own lips. She wanted to suggest inviting the others but she knew it wouldn’t be possible. She knew that Hanayo and Rin were busy with Maki. She couldn’t blame them for that. She was in their year, they would of course be closer. She couldn’t invite Umi because the second year could hardly look at her anymore it seemed. That ruled Honoka and Kotori out too. “I would like th-”  
  
“Shouldn’t you be on the first year’s level, Nishikino-san?”   
  
Nozomi sat up straight at the mention of Maki’s name, her gaze drifting to the doorway where Eli was still standing. She watched as Eli winced and stepped further into the class.   
  
“S-Sorry, Takahiro-sensei!” Maki’s voice sounded, loud and panicked, earning soft snickers from the gossiping girls.   
  
Eli was too busy watching Maki hurry down the hallway, her cheeks flushed with embarrassment. She bit her lip to hold back a laugh. Maki was so cute when she was flustered.   
  
“Is she seriously checking her out?” Mae asked in amusement as she watched Eli staring after Maki.  
  
“Well that’s the only reason she chose her, right?” Mimori smirked, crossing her arms. “Like I said, it couldn’t have been anything else.”  
  
Nico growled low under her breath and whirled around to face them but Eli was already striding across the room until she stopped a few inches from Mimori’s face.  
  
“Shut up! You have no idea what you’re talking about.” Eli said, her tone angry but quiet. “Not that it’s any of your business but that’s not why I’m with Maki. We happen to have a lot in common! And you don’t even know her. She’s smart, kind, pretty, passionate about her hobbies and she has more heart than any of you do so don’t act like you know her!”   
  
Nozomi couldn’t help but stare as Eli seemed to tear into the girl with her words, causing Mimori to cower slightly. She could tell Eli meant what she was saying. Every last word of it.   
  
“I can’t. I can’t listen to this.” Nico uttered through gritted teeth, her hands gripping the desk. “I can’t.”  
  
Nozomi’s eyes widened as Nico suddenly swung around. She leapt up from her seat and scrambled after Nico as the smaller girl made her way over to Eli but it was too late. Nico reached up and grabbed Eli by the collar before she pulled her fist back.  
  
“NICOCCHI!” Nozomi yelled as she watched Nico deliver a forceful punch to Eli’s face. It was hard enough to send the blonde staggering into a nearby desk, clutching her nose. Hurriedly, Nozomi grabbed Nico from behind and pulled her close to her, keeping her from lunging at Eli again. “STOP! Stop, Nicocchi!”  
  
Nico struggled against Nozomi’s grip, reckless in her attempts to get to Eli but the taller girl refused to let go, holding on with all her might.   
  
“What’s going on in here?!” The teacher was there suddenly, her expression shocked. She looked between Nico and Nozomi and Eli. “Yazawa-san, detention! Ayase-san, please go to the nurse’s office.”  
  
“Yes, Sensei.” Eli dragged herself to her feet, blood seeping from between her fingers where her hand covered her nose.   
  
The teacher sighed, rubbing her temples. “Tamaharu-san, go with her. Make sure she gets to the nurse’s office.”  
  
“Y-Yes!” A quiet girl at the front of the class bolted up from her chair and made her way over to Eli, hovering nervously next to her until the blonde started toward the door.   
  
“Elichi…” Nozomi murmured, her grip on Nico loosening slightly. Eli looked over, briefly meeting Nozomi’s gaze before she disappeared from the room.   
  
—  
  
Nico winced for the third time as she adjusted her chopsticks in her hand. It throbbed with pain every time she moved her fingers, making eating a difficult task. She briefly glanced up at Nozomi, who hadn’t said anything since they’d sat down on the school’s roof bench.   
  
“Look, I know you’re angry!” Nico finally exclaimed, unable to take it anymore. “But she had it coming! And somebody had to do it! Maybe it’ll knock some sense into he-”  
  
“Shut the hell up, Nicocchi.” The quiet anger in Nozomi’s voice silenced Nico right away. “You shouldn’t have done it.”  
  
Nico’s shoulders slumped. “I’m sorry, okay? She was just making me so angry with the stuff she was saying…”  
  
Nozomi paused, staring down into her half empty bento box. “She was defending her girlfriend, that’s all. She didn’t do anything wrong.”  
  
“She did EVERYTHING fucking wrong!” Nico’s voice rose in anger, her grip on the chopsticks tightening for a moment before pain shot through her hand. “ _Damn it!_ ” She dropped the chopsticks, clutching her hand to her chest. “She did it right in front of you! Your feelings are just as important as Eli’s or Maki’s and I’m sick of seeing the two of them trampling all over your feelings. You deserve better and I  _hate them_. Why do you let them treat you like that?!”  
  
Nozomi was silent for a moment. “Your hand is still hurting. Why didn’t you go to the nurse?”  
  
Nico’s brow furrowed at the change of subject. “Because she was there and I would have hit her again. My hand is fine anyway…”  
  
“At least let me help.” Nozomi reached forward to take Nico’s chopsticks but the other girl pulled her bento away. “Nicocchi…”  
  
“Why do you always dodge my questions?” Nico challenged, her eyes narrowing. “Why do you let them treat you like crap?!”  
  
“Nicocchi, stop. I…”  
  
“Still no answe-” Nico was cut off as a hand grabbed her collar and she was pulled forward into a hard kiss. She couldn’t do anything but melt into it, her hands reaching up to grasp Nozomi’s shoulders. As she responded to the movement of Nozomi’s lips, a tongue brushed gently against her lips and she paused for a moment before parting them. She whimpered at the first caress of Nozomi’s tongue and pushed herself further forward.  
  
Nozomi’s heart thudded loudly in her chest as her hands slid down Nico’s back. She had only ever kissed Eli, with the exception of her innocent kiss with Nico in her kitchen and she felt guilty for kissing someone else, but what overpowered that was the fact that she felt more like herself. Her hands slid under Nico’s shirt, moving up to map out the warm skin of her back. Slowly, she eased back and rested her forehead against Nico’s.   
  
“I’m angry with you for hurting Elichi. I still love her, no matter what.” Nozomi whispered, gently shushing whatever Nico’s retort would be by pressing a finger to her lips. “But thank you. For caring about me. For…caring about me the most. More than you do the others right now, I mean. I’m not saying you don’t care about them but…I need someone to care about me the most. Elichi doesn’t…”  
  
Nico was struggling to catch her breath but she forced a smile to her lips. “Of course I care about you the most. You’re my…best friend, I guess.” She looked away, her cheeks burning with embarrassment but suddenly her chin was cupped in a gentle hand and she was pulled back into a deep kiss.   
  
Her stomach fluttered excitedly and she pressed herself close, her arms going around Nozomi’s neck. She wondered if kissing anyone would make her feel like she was burning up or whether it was something exclusive to Nozomi. She cursed inwardly, telling herself not to think like that. She didn’t have feelings for Nozomi beyond friendship. What they were doing was to make Nozomi feel better. To make both of them feel better.   
  
Her breath hitched as the lips moving against her own strayed over her jaw and down to her neck. Much to her embarrassment a soft moan was torn from her throat as Nozomi lightly nipped at her skin. Her hand found it’s way to the back of the taller girl’s head, to press her closer but before Nozomi could do anything else, the bell rang, causing her to slowly pull away.   
  
“W-Why did you do that?!” Nico’s fingers brushed against her neck. She was sure there would be some kind of mark there now.   
  
Nozomi gave a small grin. “You said you’re my best friend. If you don’t want me to do that you need to stop being so sweet, Nicocchi. Now come on, let’s pack up and go to history.”  
  
Nico grumbled under her breath but did as Nozomi suggested.   
  
—  
  
Maki raced down the hallway to the student council room, her heart in her throat. She had received a text from Honoka earlier, asking if she had heard that Eli had been hurt by someone. She hadn’t, and had told Honoka that much. Thankfully she’d only had two lessons until the end of the day but it had felt like they’d taken forever, given it was a day when she wouldn’t see the blonde until after school.  
  
She entered the student council room without asking, finding Eli sitting at one of the desks. She did a double take at seeing the blonde’s nose, the bridge of it covered with a bandaid. “What happened?!”  
  
“I uh…kind of got into a fight.” Eli partially lied as she watched Maki lock the door. The redhead walked over to her a moment later, sitting herself in her lap. “Uh…Maki?”  
  
Maki gently touched Eli’s nose, her brow furrowed with concern. “At least it’s not broken.” She sighed, relieved by that at least. “Did the nurse put some ointment on it? Or ice?”  
  
“Uh… an ice pack, yeah.”  
  
Maki nodded in response, still focused intently on prodding at Eli’s nose. “Good. Can you breath through your nose or does it hurt too much?”  
  
Eli smiled warmly and wrapped her arms around Maki’s waist. “It’s fine. You worry too much. It’s cute…”  
  
“Eli!” Maki berated with a roll of her eyes. She didn’t seem annoyed though, if the small smile playing at her lips was anything to go by. “Who did this anyway?”  
  
Eli winced at the question. She hadn’t especially wanted to say. “Uh…Nico. I said something about you and I think she just lost her temper.”  
  
“Oh.” Maki frowned at the answer. She didn’t say anything for a long moment but finally reached forward and pulled Eli into a strong hug. “I’m sorry.”  
  
“What?” Eli hugged Maki back just as tightly. “No. Don’t ever think you’re to blame for this. I deserved it for…well other reasons. But I’m always going to defend you. I don’t care if I get punched because of it.”  
  
“But it was Nico-chan.” Maki’s voice was small and muffled against Eli’s shoulder. “She’s your friend and I…”  
  
“I don’t think she’s my friend anymore.” Eli forced a laugh though her throat was closing up, the corners of her eyes prickling at the thought. Nico clearly hated her. “It didn’t feel like that when she was punching me at least.”  
  
Maki’s grip tightened. She hated that she had torn their friendship apart. It pained her too, that she had lost Nico herself. She had, after all, thought she might have feelings for the third year at one point. “I love you.”  
  
Eli turned her head, pressing a lingering kiss to Maki’s cheek. “I love you too.”  
  
Maki’s heart skipped a beat in her chest. She’d never thought she would hear Eli say that to her but now she couldn’t get enough of hearing it. “Say it again.”  
  
Eli gave a soft chuckle and drew back, pressing her lips briefly to Maki’s. “I love you, Nishikino Maki. I’ll say it as many times as you want. I love you. I love you.”  
  
Maki blushed and ducked her head, grumbling under her breath. “That’s kind of embarrassing.”  
  
Eli shook her head in amusement and brushed her fingers over Maki’s cheek. “You need to stop being so cute. It makes me want to kiss you…”  
  
Maki looked up through her eyelashes. “You can if you want.” She mumbled. “Door is locked…”  
  
The small smile that had lingered on Eli’s face grew. “I would love to kiss my doctor.”  
  
“Y-Your doctor?”  
  
“My personal doctor.” Eli gently drew Maki close to her, kissing her softly. “You’re going to be an amazing one someday, Maki.”  
  
Maki leaned in again, her hands carefully cupping Eli’s face as she kissed her deeply, her tongue sweeping past quickly parted lips. She heard Eli moan softly and it felt as though the sound sent electricity coursing through her. Her hands bunched up Eli’s shirt and she pulled her closer, their kiss growing more urgent and desperate. A hand cupped the back of her head and suddenly it seemed as if Eli was more in control. Maki let her be, letting her explore her mouth. A hand crept to her chest and she whimpered as curious fingers came in contact with her breast.   
  
“I need to touch you.” Eli whispered breathlessly as she pulled back slightly. She slid her arms underneath Maki’s legs and back before standing and lifting her onto the desk. Leaning in, she pressed her lips to the redhead’s neck, kissing and sucking at soft, tempting skin.   
  
Maki bit down hard on her lip but she couldn’t help but moan at the feeling. “W-We’re in school!”  
  
“I know.” Eli murmured against Maki’s neck, her fingers unbuttoning the other girl’s shirt. “It’s exciting.” She nipped at the skin beneath her lips. “It’s hot. You’re hot. So, so hot…” Her hands slid over Maki’s shoulder, pushing her shirt and blazer down her arms.   
  
“Damn it, Eli…ah!” Maki cried out as Eli leaned down, kissing her breast over her bra. Quickly, she clutched Eli’s shoulders. “S-Stop, stop!” She waited until Eli pulled back in concern before she spoke again. “Take your shirt off too. I want to feel you against me.”  
  
“Oh.” Eli nodded hurriedly and reached up, tugging off her ribbon. She discarded it somewhere nearby before slowly unbuttoning her shirt. The way Maki’s eyes hungrily followed her fingers down sent a thrill coursing down her spine. Finally she pushed the shirt off and lifted her hand to her bra strap. “Even this…?”  
  
Maki’s heart leapt with excitement. “H-Here?” She nodded quickly and watched as Eli teasingly removed her own bra. She drew in a quick breath as voluptuous breasts were revealed to her. “Eli…”  
  
Heat pooled low in Eli’s stomach as she watched Maki squirm atop the desk. “Do you like it?” She husked, thrilled by being in control. She watched as Maki nodded again. Stepping forward, she clambered onto the desk, straddling Maki’s waist. She noticed Maki’s fingers twitch at her side. “It’s okay. You can touch if you want to.”  
  
Maki swallowed thickly before she reached up, brushing her fingers against the globe of Eli’s breast, earning herself a gentle intake of breath. “You’re the hot one.” She mumbled, using her free hand to push herself into a sitting position. She licked her lips before she leaned in, her mouth finding it’s way to Eli’s nipple.   
  
Eli gasped sharply, her fingers threading into Maki’s hair as the other girl sucked attentatively, her tongue flicking against her every couple of seconds. “God, Maki…” She couldn’t help but grind down, whimpering softly. “I need…I need…”  
  
Maki hummed questioningly in response but only pulled away long enough to switch over to the other breast.  
  
“Maki.” Eli groaned out helplessly. Her hands slid down and she quickly unclasped her skirt. “Y-You too. Please…” She pushed Maki away and stood from the desk, letting her skirt fall down her legs.   
  
Maki watched with wide eyes as long legs were further revealed to her. She sat up further, watching Eli hurry to take the rest of her clothes off. Finally the blonde was naked in front of her and Maki couldn’t help but continue to stare.   
  
“Don’t just stare.” Eli mumbled, her cheeks flushing red. “It’s embarrassing…”  
  
“Sorry. You’re just…really, really…” Maki struggled to think. “I-I don’t know. You’re beautiful.”  
  
“I-I’ve told you before, I can’t compare.” Eli moved forward and kissed Maki again, her hands going to the other girl’s skirt. She hurriedly removed it along with the girl’s panties, momentarily denying herself the opportunity to touch Maki directly as she tugged the panties down the redhead’s legs. She stood back for a moment, looking at Maki intently before she leaned in and kissed her again.   
  
Maki hissed at the first touch of Eli’s fingers between her legs. Helplessly, she arched into the touch, her eyes squeezed shut.  “Eli! Eli…”  
  
“Yeah?” Eli asked breathlessly, her fingers sliding over wet skin. “What is it?”  
  
Maki shook her head, unable to speak. She didn’t know what she wanted to say. Or if she wanted to say anything. She just wanted Eli to keep going.   
  
“Maybe if I…” Eli dropped to her knees, gripping the back of Maki’s legs to pull her close to the edge of the desk.   
  
Maki’s eyes widened in realization but before she could say anything Eli’s mouth was on her, the foreign yet undeniably pleasurable sensation of a tongue against her core drawing a long moan from her mouth.   
  
“Eli! E-Eli…!” Maki gripped the back of Eli’s head, her legs wrapping around her shoulders. Her free hand, which lay at her side was grabbed by Eli who gently entwined their fingers but didn’t stop what she was doing.  
  
Eli winced as the hand at the back of her head removed her hair tie but as soon as it was done she pressed close again.   
  
“You breath…” Maki gasped as she felt Eli exhale onto her. “So hot…” She didn’t have much time to ponder it before Eli pushed her tongue deep inside of her.   
  
Maki cried out at the feeling before she managed to clamp her hand over her mouth. She knew she should have been worried that someone might hear her but she couldn’t bring herself to care given her current position. She felt fingers press against the nub between her legs and rolled her hips in time with the movement of Eli’s tongue, trying to draw her deeper. She was getting closer with every slight brush of Eli’s mouth. She could feel it. “Eli…”  
  
Eli moaned at the breathy sound of her name from Maki’s lips.   
  
“I love you.” Her words were muffled, predictably but Maki still heard them before Eli pressed herself even closer than before, nails digging into Maki’s thigh.   
  
As Eli’s tongue slid into her one more time, Maki’s back arched off the desk, waves of pleasure washing over her as she clutched onto her love tightly. “Eliiiiiii!”  
  
Eli waited until Maki’s grip on her loosened before she stood from the floor and move to lie on her side on the desk next to her. “Hey.”  
  
Maki’s eyes were still closed and Eli took the opportunity to brush the girl’s red hair from her face.   
  
“You…you rocked my world.” Maki mumbled, drawing a laugh from Eli.   
  
“You’re so cheesy.” Eli moved close to Maki, searching for her warmth.  
  
“You’re cheesy.” Maki countered, leaning in close. She gently kissed Eli’s nose. “You look like a delinquent from one of those J-dramas.”  
  
Eli raised an eyebrow. “I wouldn’t have thought you’d watch those. You didn’t seem interested in the romance movie we watched at Honoka’s house.”  
  
“I was more interested in you.” Maki blurted out without meaning to. Somehow the bright smile that appeared on Eli’s face made it worth it. “I-I do like them. I just keep it to myself…”  
  
“I like when you tell me things about you that nobody else knows.” Eli admitted softly. “It just makes me love being with you even more.”  
  
Maki flushed at the remark. “You’re so embarrassing sometimes!”  
  
“You love it.” Eli retorted smugly.   
  
Maki faux glared back at her. “That’s it, I’m going to shut you up!”  
  
“Oh? Ho-” Eli was cut off by lips pressing firmly against her own, a gentle hand guiding her onto her back as Maki moved to straddle her.   
  
—-  
  
“So Kotori-chan and I were thinking that if we can just get Maki-chan and Nozomi-chan to talk then maybe that would help.” Honoka was saying as she walked down the street with Umi at her side. “Nico-chan hit Eli-senpai today you know.”  
  
“I know, Kotori already told me seeing as you always tell her everything first now.” Umi commented dryly as she followed Honoka.  
  
“Maybe I should speak to her. I can’t have my friends beating my other friends up.” Honoka said thoughtfully. “Umi-can, come on! Help me think of something!”  
  
Umi stared blankly at Honoka for a moment. “Have you ever thought you maybe just need to choose a side and stay on it?”  
  
“Huh?”  
  
Umi huffed out a sigh at Honoka’s typically clueless response. “Nozomi’s side or Maki’s side. You can’t stay in the middle. You know that.”  
  
Honoka’s brow furrowed in confusion. Umi seemed particularly irritated. “Whose side is Umi-chan on?”  
  
Umi paused for a moment, considering that. She was more inclined to side with one of them but she didn’t want to say who it was. “Neither. I’m staying out of it.”  
  
“Really?” Honoka glanced over at Umi in surprised. “Well…okay. Um…Kotori-chan’s going to be here soon.”  
  
Umi’s jaw tightened. “I know that, Honoka.”   
  
“Uh…” Honoka awkwardly rubbed her arms. She didn’t know what was wrong with Umi and she wasn’t sure how to ask. “Right.”  
  
Umi heaved a sigh and stopped. “Look, just don’t say anything to Nico, okay? I don’t want her punching you too.”  
  
Honoka bumped into Umi’s back and stepped back, blushing though she smiled broadly at the suggestion. “You’re always trying to protect me, Umi-chan.”  
  
“It’s more than that. You’re on Eli’s side so Nico  _will_  end up punching you.” Umi warned. She had heard exactly what had happened in the classroom. “I don’t want you to get hurt.”  
  
“Thank you, Umi-chan.” Honoka hugged Umi from behind, startling her friend slightly. “I…don’t want anyone to think I’m on Eli-senpai’s side. I’m not against Nozomi-chan. I love everyone in Muse equally.”  
  
“Some more than others though.” Umi couldn’t help but blurt out.   
  
“Hmm?” Honoka hummed in confusion. “What does that mean?”  
  
Umi gave a meek shrug. “Just…Kotori and Eli. You’ve been spending all of your time with them lately, I guess.”   
  
“Is Umi-chan jealous?” Honoka gave Umi a gentle squeeze, a grin tugging at her lips. “Kotori-chan is my girlfriend and Eli-senpai needs me but you’re my precious best friend. Why don’t we spend the day together this weekend? Just me and Umi-chan. We can do whatever you want.”  
  
Umi tucked her lower lip between her teeth for a moment. “You want to spend time with me? Just us?”  
  
“Of course. I miss spending time with just Umi-chan. You were my…”  
  
“Hm?” Umi tilted her head back to see Honoka who had trailed off.   
  
“Nothing. I was just thinking about when we were really young.” Honoka answered, squeezing Umi tighter. She was surprised Umi was allowing her to hold on for so long but she supposed it might be the case that Umi had felt isolated from her lately. “Umi-chan is warm…”  
  
“Geeze, Honoka, you’re too close.” Umi complained, slightly embarrassed by her friend’s clinginess. She heard hurried footsteps and looked to her right, finding Kotori running toward them. “Great, here’s Kotori. You can hug her for warmth instead.”  
  
Honoka brightened at the sight of Kotori but quickly remembered Umi’s words from earlier. “But I want to hug Umi-chan longer…”  
  
“Honoka…” Umi grumbled though she stopped trying to shrug Honoka off of her.   
  
Kotori stopped in front of them, breathless from her run. “Sorry that took so long. My mom wanted to talk about Love Live…” She paused, narrowing her eyes at the two. “What’s going on?”  
  
“Nothing. Umi-chan just needed some attention.” Honoka answered, resting her chin on Umi’s shoulder so she could look at Kotori. “Besides, it’s cold and she’s warm.”  
  
Umi pouted, an embarrassed blush on her face as Honoka held her closer. “Maybe we should go home instead of standing around then.”  
  
“Fine.” Honoka pulled away but grabbed Umi’s hand, quickly entwining their fingers together. She did the same with Kotori before pulling the two along. “We can go back to my house and you two can help me figure out how to help Eli-senpai, Nozomi-chan and Maki-chan!”  
  
“Honoka!” Umi groaned though she didn’t resist Honoka’s tugging. The subtle squeeze to her hand only put emphasis on Honoka’s reassurances from earlier.   
  
Kotori watched them with a worried frown, something akin to jealousy sitting deep in her stomach. Her thoughts flitted unwittingly to Nozomi though she hurriedly brushed the idea off. Honoka would never do anything like that.   
  
—  
  
Nico wasn’t expecting anyone to show up at her apartment so when the doorbell rang she knew right away that something wasn’t quite right. Making sure her siblings were playing peacefully in the next room, she went and answered the door only to find Honoka standing there.   
  
“Honoka.” Nico greeted disdainfully. “Come to lecture me?”  
  
“Am I intruding?” Honoka asked, trying to look past Nico into the house. “Can I come in?”  
  
“It’s not like you’ll go away if I say no.” Nico sighed and held the door open to let Honoka into the house. When the girl walked past she closed the door behind them and turned to her. “I’m surprised it took you almost a week to do this. Though it looks like you’ve been busy with Kotori.” She smirked, nodding to the scarf around Honoka’s neck.   
  
“Ah…” Honoka blushed and awkwardly tugged at the scarf. “I um…I just wanted to give you some time. Umi-chan suggested it and she’s always right about this kind of stuff so…”  
  
Nico narrowed her eyes. “If you think I’m going to apologize to her you’re wrong. She deserved what she got and if you idiots don’t see that it’s not my problem.”  
  
“Nico-chan, please don’t be like this. Come on, I hate seeing all of you fighting.” Honoka said pleadingly. “You shouldn’t have hit her.”  
  
“Why are you defending them?!” Nico exclaimed, throwing her hands up in exasperation. “You would never do something like what she’s done so why do you feel like you have to side with her?”  
  
“I-I’m not siding with anyone, I just…she’s my senpai and…” Honoka shook her head, trying to organize her thoughts. “Nico-chan, please. Just talk to her. I know what she did was horrible but she isn’t proud of it.”  
  
“Have you spoken to Nozomi lately?” Nico asked without addressing what Honoka was saying. “You’ve been trying to help Eli and Maki so much that you probably haven’t noticed your other senpai is falling apart. Have you even asked her how she is?”  
  
“I-I haven’t.” Honoka answered guiltily. She toyed with the zip of her jacket, looking away from Nico. “I know Kotori-chan has been making sure she’s okay. Umi-chan has been distracted, I think, but I know she’s worried about Nozomi-chan too. We all are. It’s…not that I don’t want to be there for her. I really do, it’s just…”  
  
“You’ve been busy.” Nico scowled. “With those two.”  
  
“And Kotori-chan.” Honoka said meekly, as if that made up for anything. “I’ve been busy with her too. And Muse is falling apart, I’m trying to…”  
  
“I hate this.” Nico growled, interrupting whatever Honoka was going to say. She didn’t care. She didn’t want to hear her excuses. “Eli cheats on Nozomi with someone Nozomi considered a friend and you’re taking their side? You’re all doing it. Even Rin is helping Maki now! I’m the only person on Nozomi’s side and it’s NOT FAIR!”  
  
“Kotori-chan is on Nozomi-chan’s side.” Honoka mumbled awkwardly. Kotori had made it clear that she was, even if she wasn’t turning on Maki and Eli like Nico seemed to be.   
  
“But not you?” Nico’s hands balled into fists and Honoka took a way step back. Feeling just a little bit guilty, Nico forced herself to relax. “I’m not going to hit you. I’m not like…that. She was hurting Nozomi and I just snapped. It pisses me off, okay?”  
  
“I know. It…pisses me off too. I don’t like seeing any of my friends hurting.”  
  
Nico raised an eyebrow at Honoka’s cursing.   
  
“None of us are against Nozomi-chan.” Honoka continued quietly. “It’s just that we don’t want to be against Maki-chan either. I don’t want to choose between the two of them…”  
  
Nico gritted her teeth together. She wanted to yell at Honoka and tell her that she needed to choose. She needed to see exactly how much what Eli and Maki had done had destroyed Nozomi, had stripped her down to a shell of who she used to be. Instead she took a deep breath. “Maybe choosing a side is exactly what you need to do.”


	13. Chapter 13

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hope you guys like this chapter! Also if you want to understand why the endgame is HonoUmi check out the HonoUmi centric fic of this series called Between the lines which will be mostly the behind the scenes of addiction. It'll cross over at some point though. But yeah it's 2nd year centric and Maki and Eli are just side characters in it. Warning for cheating again. Not the EliMaki kind either but HonoUmi's situation is a lot more complicated.

Honoka narrowed her eyes at the club request forms in front of her, trying her utmost to focus on what she was doing but all she could seem to think of was Nico telling her to choose a side. She wasn’t sure she could do that, not when the both of the people in question meant so much to her.   
  
A hand lay itself on her shoulder and Honoka reached up, laying her own hand over it. She knew who it belonged to without having to look up.   
  
“You need to focus.” Umi said softly, her voice more sympathetic than Honoka was used to hearing it. “We need to get these clubs approved before school starts.”  
  
“I know.” Honoka mumbled, looking down at the ten or so sheets of paper in front of her. It wasn’t fair to the students who’d put in requests that she couldn’t focus.   
  
Umi sat down next to Honoka, keeping her hand on her best friend’s shoulder. She rubbed lightly, looking down at the forms. “Let me help you a bit. If you give me half of them we’ll have them done in no time at all.”

**  
**“Umi-chan.” Honoka’s voice sounded a bit choked and Umi did a double take as the other girl bowed her head. “I…” **  
**

  
Umi was focused on Honoka but she noticed the slightly ajar door across the room being pushed open, Kotori appearing there a moment later. Honoka didn’t seem to.   
  
“Thank you, Umi-chan.” Honoka said softly, seemingly having composed herself. “I can always count on you. Ever since we were kids.” She looked up toward Umi, giving her a small smile.   
  
Umi fondly rolled her eyes. “Let’s just hurry up and get these approved. Or disapproved of course.”  
  
“You’re so mean, Umi-chan.” Honoka playfully nudged Umi’s side before she caught the sound of footsteps. She looked toward the door, finding Kotori wandering in. “Kotori-chan, there you are!”  
  
“Am I interrupting?” Kotori glanced warily between the two of them.   
  
“Not at all. Come on, we were just going through these forms. You can take some from me, I’m not very focused right now…” Honoka laughed sheepishly and held out her hand to Kotori who wandered over, taking it. She leaned up to kiss Kotori’s cheek but Kotori turned her head at the last second, pressing their lips together. She was surprised but lingered for a moment, basking in the pleasant tingle. She giggled after, drawing Kotori into her lap. “Where were you anyway? I missed you.”  
  
“You taste like mint.” Kotori whispered, ignoring Honoka’s question. “You haven’t been eating bread today?”  
  
Honoka usually tasted like bread or chocolate. It was a taste Kotori had long since gotten used to. Grown addicted to even.   
  
Honoka gave an embarrassed laugh. “Yeah, I forgot to eat this morning before I left for school.”  
  
“We should have lunch together then.” Kotori said, her arms going around Honoka’s neck. She pressed her lips to the girl’s forehead.   
  
“Ah, I didn’t bring any lunch with me…” Honoka winced. She didn’t seem to be focusing very well on anything. She had forgotten her homework for her first class too.   
  
“Then we can share mine. I’ll feed you.” Kotori said playfully, bringing a blush to Honoka’s cheeks. “Come on, you love it when I do…”  
  
“I do.” Honoka conceded apprehensively. “I just have a lot to think about right now and…”  
  
“You’re wearing your uniform properly for a change.” Kotori interrupted in confusion, toying with the top button of Honoka’s shirt. It was buttoned all the way.   
  
“I guess I’m really not feeling like myself.” Honoka sighed, her shoulders slumping. She felt Kotori gently rub her shoulders and smiled softly. “Let’s have lunch together like you said. Umi-cha-” She turned toward Umi but stopped short when she found the space next to her empty. “Eh? She didn’t even tell us she was leaving!”  
  
“She probably just went to the bathroom, Honoka-chan.” Kotori said with a shake of her head. “So now that we’re alone are you going to tell me what’s bothering you?”

“What?” Honoka was still busy staring at the empty space Umi had previously occupied. “Oh um…Nico-chan says I need to choose whose side I’m on. Nozomi-chan’s or Maki-chan’s. I told her I couldn’t but she says I have to.”  
  
“Oh, I see.” Kotori mumbled, her brow furrowing. “But mentally you’re on Nozomi’s side, right? She hasn’t done anything wrong and she’s the one who got hurt so…”  
  
“I think everyone got hurt.” Honoka muttered. “Especially Eli-senpai. It’s not like she can control how she feels. It’s not alway poss-”  
  
“Well she should have!” Kotori retorted loudly, pulling away slightly. “Nozomi-chan was meant to be the person she cared most about and she broke her heart! You don’t do that to someone you love.”  
  
“K-Kotori-chan…” Honoka wasn’t sure where Kotori’s anger had come from. “I-I need to take a walk.” She gently pushed Kotori off her lap before getting to her feet. She made her way to the door, pausing in front of it. “You have to understand, Eli-senpai is…very dear to me. I can’t just abandon her. I’m sorry if that’s what you want me to do but I can’t. I won’t.”  
  
She didn’t wait for a response from Kotori before she walked out of the council room, closing the door behind her. She wasn’t all that surprised to see Eli and Maki walking down the hallway, hand in hand. Maki was talking quietly, a blush on her cheeks while Eli was listening intently, nodding along. It was sweet, in a way. Not to say that Honoka didn’t feel annoyed when she thought of Nozomi. It wasn’t fair but she couldn’t say anything.   
  
“Honoka.” Eli’s surprised voice shook Honoka from her stupor. She was surprised to find that the blonde was suddenly right in front of her, a concerned look on her face. “What’s wrong?”  
  
“Nothing. Nothing, I’m just…” Honoka’s eyes prickled with moisture and she stubbornly shook her head. “I just want to see Umi-chan…”  
  
“What?” Even Maki looked worried at this point, clearly startled by the tears in Honoka’s eyes. “Hey, Honoka…”  
  
Eli couldn’t say that she was surprised when Honoka barrelled forward into her but it did catch Maki a bit off guard. That was clear from her expression. Carefully, Eli wrapped her arms around Honoka, holding her close to her.   
  
“I just want Umi-chan.” Honoka choked out, pressing her face against Eli’s shoulder.   
  
“I just saw her go up to the roof.” Maki offered quietly, her hand going to Honoka’s shoulder. “She’s probably still there.”  
  
“Thank you, Maki-chan.” Honoka pulled away from Eli and gave Maki a brief hug instead. “I’m sorry for interrupting.” She stepped back, her eyes flitting back to Eli. “Can I speak to you later, Eli-senpai?”  
  
“Of course.” Eli answered without hesitation. She watched as Honoka hurried off. “Strange…”  
  
“What?” Maki took Eli’s hand in her own again. “You’re worried, aren’t you?”  
  
“Of course I am, it’s…”  
  
“Honoka.” Maki finished for her. She smiled lovingly, charmed by the worry on Eli’s face. “She’ll be okay, I’m sure. You’ll get to speak to her later anyway. I’m sure she’ll tell you what’s wrong.”  
  
Eli nodded in response though she was still staring after Honoka. “You’re right.” She finally said, turning back to Maki. “If anyone can calm her down, it’s Umi. Honoka told me they’ve been best friends since they were babies…”

“Wait Kotori wasn’t friends with Honoka when they were young?” Maki asked curiously at the revelation from her girlfriend.  “I thought they all grew up together?” Eli chuckled at Maki’s inquisitive look before shaking her head. “Oh no they had grew up together, it’s just Honoka and Umi knew each other before Kotori. They met Kotori in elementary.”  
  
“Oh…” Maki mused, staring after Honoka. It was a bit worrisome that Honoka was so upset, even if she wouldn’t admit it.   
  
Eli watched with a small smile as Maki nervously bit her lip. It was obvious she was concerned. Even if she hid it sometimes, Maki obviously cared about her friends a lot. Eli wished it was possible for Maki to join Muse again but she knew that considering the way things were at the moment it just wasn’t possible. She chuckled under her breath as she watched Maki nervously shift from foot to foot. “I love you.”  
  
“Eh?!” Maki turned wide eyes to Eli, her cheeks reddening when the words really sank in. “Y-You can’t just say that out of the blue…”  
  
“Watch me.” Eli grinned brightly, enamoured by the way Maki couldn’t quite look at her. “From now on I’m going to do it every chance I get if it means I can see you blush like that.”  
  
“Eli…” Maki grumbled, shifting uncomfortably. Any protests she was thinking up were silenced by Eli kissing her briefly. “I…I love you too, I-I guess…”  
  
“You guess?” Eli teased, retaking Maki’s hand. “I’m hurt.”  
  
“Geeze, you’re just messing with me…” Maki mumbled though she couldn’t bring herself to sound angry. Eli looked too happy for her to be angry with her. “C-Come on…”  
  
“Hmm?” Eli asked, confused as Maki tugged her along the hallway. When the music room came into sight she realized where Maki was taking her and laughed softly under her breath. “I thought you didn’t like making out at school?”  
  
“Sh-shut up! Making out is fine, doing it is going too far.”  
  
“That’s not what you said last time.” Eli quipped as Maki let go of her hand, opening the door to the music room.   
  
“Just shut up and get in here before the bell rings.” Maki reached out and grabbed Eli’s collar, pulling her into the music room and shut the door behind them.   
—  
  
Kotori drummed her fingers against the desk, waiting for class to start - or rather waiting for Honoka to get to class before it started. She hoped her girlfriend wouldn’t be late. Umi wasn’t there either, surprisingly enough. She could only assume they were together somewhere. Honoka was probably complaining to Umi after their argument that morning.   
  
“Did you hear there was a fight amongst the third years?”   
  
Kotori’s attention was drawn away from the door to a couple of girls sitting near her. They were leaning close to each other, obviously trying to be discreet. It wasn’t working very well.   
  
“I heard Yazawa-senpai punched Ayase-senpai.” The girl with straight black hair commented. “Something about how she was talking about the first year she’s been seeing.”  
  
“Nishikino-san.” The other girl said. Her hair was a similar shade to the first girl’s but not as straight. “I’ve heard people saying that Yazawa-senpai likes Tojo-senpai and that’s why she’s so angry at Ayase-senpai.”  
  
Kotori sighed and bowed her head. It was ironic that they were gossiping about a fight caused primarily by people gossiping. She’d heard from Nozomi what had happened. Without details, of course.   
  
“Well it doesn’t matter. She didn’t have to punch her. I mean Ayase-senpai didn’t do anything wrong. All she did was stand up for her girlfriend?”  
  
“Yeah, but in front of the ex? That’s like a rule or something, isn’t it? I would punch her too if I had feelings for Tojo-senpai.”  
  
Kotori glanced at the girls out of the corner of her eye. She vaguely recognized her. Her name was Junko, she recalled. Kitayama Junko. The girl with straight black hair was Ichiban Ruki. As far as she knew neither of them had any connection to either Eli or Maki. It seemed that the entire school was buzzing with gossip about the two though.  
  
“Well she should be glad Tojo-senpai isn’t dating anyone now.” Ruki said with a shrug of her shoulders. “I don’t blame Ayase-senpai. You should follow your heart. If you’re not with the right person you shouldn’t stay with them, should you?”  
  
Kotori bit the inside of her cheek. She was tired of hearing people excuse what Eli did. It was downright infuriating. She heard someone enter the room and looked up in time to see Umi walk through the door. She looked a bit windswept, she couldn’t help but notice as Umi straightened her blazer with one hand and tried to neaten her hair with the other.   
  
A few seconds later Honoka followed. She didn’t look unkempt but her hair looked different. Like her ponytail was out of place. It wouldn’t have been noticeable to anyone else but Kotori had spent an age studying Honoka even before they started dating. She remembered times when she would catch herself staring at the girl, or more embarrassingly when Honoka would catch her staring.   
  
“Umi-chan looks like she just got to school. It’s not like her to get here five minutes before class starts.” Another girl whom Kotori identified with a quick glance as Nakamaru Keiko, mentioned.  
  
“But that can’t be, Keiko-chan. Didn’t you see Umi-chan and Honoka-chan come in early this morning?” Ruki asked, her brow furrowed in confusion.   
  
“Oh, you’re right…”  
  
Kotori gritted her teeth, tempted to tell the two to stop talking about other people. She sat up a bit straighter, trying to catch Honoka’s eye but her girlfriend was too busy watching Umi walk to her seat. There was a look in her eyes Kotori herself didn’t quite recognize.   
  
“Honoka-chan.” Kotori spoke before she could stop herself. She’d promised herself that she wouldn’t speak to Honoka but she was desperate for some reassurance. She waited until Honoka stopped next to her desk, her eyes turning questioningly toward her. “C-Can we still have lunch? We need to talk.”  
  
“Of course.” Honoka said with a hesitant smile, uncertain as to whether Kotori was angry with her. “I said so, didn’t I? Um, it’s just…” She looked toward Umi, briefly. “Can Umi-chan come too? I don’t want to leave her out…”  
  
She was sure Kotori would feel the same way if she knew Umi had been feeling neglected by the two of them.   
  
Kotori gave a silent nod in response.   
  
“Thank you.” Honoka said gratefully as she sank into her seat. She turned to Umi, giving her a quick thumbs up to which Umi answered with a small smile.   
  
Kotori watched as Honoka turned back to get her books out, smiling brightly to herself. She swallowed thickly, apprehension twisting her stomach.   
  
—  
  
“How many times do I have to tell you, I don’t want you to wait for me?!” Nico asked grouchily. “It’s not your fault I have detention every night for the next two weeks, it’s mine. So you shouldn’t have to wait for me.”  
  
“Doesn’t mean I’m not going to.” Nozomi answered with a shrug of her shoulders. “I like walking home with you. Besides, you usually come to my apartment anyway, after you’ve checked in on your siblings. What’s the harm in me going with you?”  
  
Nico groaned to herself. “Fine! Well you can stop waiting for me so we can walk to school together too. I don’t need you to babysit me.”  
  
“You’re really dense, Nicocchi.” Nozomi said with a roll of her eyes.   
  
“What?” Nico faltered in her step but quickly caught back up with Nozomi. “How am I dense?”  
  
Nozomi huffed out a sigh. “Did you ever think I wait for you because maybe I want to spend time with you?” She asked as they entered the school. “You’re the only friend I have right now…”  
  
The comment had Nico’s blood boiling again and she clenched her hands into fists. “Damn it. Fine! But I’m not…” She was cut off as Nozomi stopped short, grabbing her wrist to stop her too. “Hey, what…?”  
  
“Nya, you made it in time! We thought you weren’t going to make it!”  
  
Maki rolled her eyes. “Shut up. Of course I’d make it.”  
  
Nico glared at the three of them though she didn’t trust herself to say anything. Even she knew Nozomi didn’t need her attacking people for her. Not after last time. “Come on, Nozomi. Let’s just go. Come on…”  
  
“N-Nozomi?” Maki’s shaky voice interrupted Nico before she could insist any further. “Hey…”  
  
Nico glared at Maki and began to take a step forward only for Nozomi to gently pull her back.   
  
“Hi.” Nozomi replied simply, the greeting somewhat stiff.   
  
Maki swallowed thickly. She didn’t know what to say but she couldn’t just say nothing. “U-Um…how have you been? We haven’t…spoken in a while.”  
  
“Fine.” Nozomi’s answer was simple, and a lie of course, but she wasn’t harsh. “How have you been?”  
  
“Uh…good.” Maki answered warily. “I-I mean not too good but good! I-I’m fine too, I guess…”  
  
Behind her, Rin and Hanayo exchanged looks. The conversation was so awkward it was almost painful.   
  
“Um…” Maki spoke again when Nozomi continued to stare at her. There used to be warmth in that gaze. Genuine caring. Now she couldn’t see it. “I’m um…I’m still in trouble with Papa but I-I’m living back at home now a-and um…well I…I’m sorry. I’m so sorry!”  
  
“Yeah.” Nozomi murmured quietly. “I know you are. Those girls aren’t still hassling you, are they?”  
  
Maki’s eyes went wide in surprise at the trace of concern she detected in Nozomi’s voice. She didn’t miss Nico’s astonished look toward Nozomi too. “Wha…? No! No, they’ve stopped for the most part. I-I can take care of it myself.”  
  
“They won’t be hassling her when I’m around, nya!” Rin announced proudly, pounding one fist against her open hand.   
  
Maki took a deep breath. “Hey, Nozomi…I-I never thought this would happen. I mean at first I thought I had a crush on Nico-chan but then all of this happened and…well I love her. I really love her and I’m sorry. I’m sorry I can’t just stop. I wish I could sometimes, I wish…” Her voice cracked, her eyes stinging with tears. “I wish I’d never hurt you. I wish I’d done things differently.”  
  
“Wait, you liked me?!” Nico interrupted loudly. Nozomi stayed silent, her eyes lowering to the ground.   
  
“Um…” Maki stared at Nico, at a loss for a moment. “Well…yes. I thought so.”  
  
“That’s…” Nico shook her head, clearly confused. “That’s disgusting.”  
  
“Thanks.” Maki said sarcastically, trying to hide how much the comment hurt.  
  
“You think I would ever want to do anything with you?!” Nico growled, only further angered by Maki’s sarcasm. “Even the idea of touching you disgusts me.”  
  
“Maki-chan, let’s go.” Hanayo grabbed one of Maki’s arms while Rin took the other and together they pulled her down the hall to their class.   
  
“Nico-chan…” Nozomi said disapprovingly.   
  
“WHAT?!” Nico snapped angrily. She glared at Nozomi once more before she turned and marched off down the hallway.   
  
—-  
  
Umi trailed after Honoka and Kotori, having decided to at least maintain a little bit of distance between them. It already felt like she was intruding on them a little bit. She watched as Honoka casually took Kotori’s hand, giving it a brief squeeze. She looked away, a heavy feeling in her chest. It had always been like that. The two of them together while she watched from afar.   
  
“We’re here!” Honoka announced, throwing the door to the roof open. Thankfully there was nobody there. Nobody besides Muse really used the roof and there was no practice that day.  
  
Umi watched as Honoka walked toward the railings and plopped to the floor, sitting cross legged. Kotori joined her a moment later, sitting close enough that their arms were touching and Umi hesitated uncertainly. She wasn’t really sure where she fit into their dynamic anymore. She nervously straightened out her blazer but stayed where she was. Finally, Honoka looked up at her, the familiar look in her eyes encouraging Umi to go to them. She sat down, her legs folded beneath her, opposite Honoka and Kotori.   
  
Kotori was silent as she took out her bento, setting it between herself and Honoka. She’d meant to speak to Honoka about how she’d been feeling but with Umi there it wasn’t exactly possible.  
  
Honoka looked up, watching in amusement as Umi nibbled at a rice ball. “Hey, Umi-chan! I have something that’ll make you forget about that plain old rice ball!” She waited until Umi looked up, a puzzled look on her face before she began to rummage through her bag. She emerged with a small container. “Mom made a fresh batch of manjuu this morning! I managed to sneak some out before she noticed. It’s your favorite, right, Umi-chan?”  
  
Umi looked down at the container in Honoka’s hands, a soft smile playing at her lips. “You know it is.”  
  
“I thought you forgot your lunch?” Kotori asked in confusion.   
  
“Oh, I did…I was just thinking about this when I woke up.” Honoka said, slightly embarrassed. “I wanted to do something nice for Umi-chan, that’s all.”  
  
“Thank you.” Umi said quietly, touched by the sentiment.  
  
“Here.” Honoka said with a small smirk as she plucked one of the sweets from the container. “Umi-chan say aaahhh…”  
  
Umi blushed as Honoka moved the sweet toward her. “W-What are you doing?”  
  
“What does it look like I’m doing?” Honoka teased with a fond roll of her eyes. “Unless…you don’t want it?”  
  
“No, I uh…” Umi hesitated for a moment, her gaze fixed to the manjuu in Honoka’s hand. Finally she took a breath and leaned in, closing her eyes as she took a bite.   
  
Honoka smiled as she watched Umi thoughtfully chew, a blissful expression on her face. “Is it good?”  
  
“Your mom makes the best manjuu.” Umi finally said, opening her eyes. She didn’t dare look at Kotori, aware her friend would be glaring daggers at her. It hadn’t escaped her notice that Kotori had been acting especially possessive of Honoka lately. She supposed she understood, in a sense.  
  
Honoka beamed at the praise. “I’m glad you like it.” She thoughtlessly ate the other half of the manjuu herself and Umi winced. “You can have the rest, Umi-chan.” She thrust the container into Umi’s hands.   
  
“Thanks.” Umi said gratefully. She stood up, grabbing her bag. “Um…I need to go and look through some paperwork. I forgot to do it this morning.” She finally chanced a glance toward Kotori, finding her best friend still glaring. “I’ll see you both in class.”  
  
Honoka and Kotori both nodded and Umi quickly excused herself.   
  
A couple of minutes ticked by in silence before Honoka cleared her throat and looked up at Kotori. “So what do you want to talk about?” She asked softly, half-expecting Kotori to want to yell at her again.   
  
“I want to finish our conversation from this morning.” Kotori answered. It was only a half-lie.   
  
Honoka sighed and looked away. That was a conversation she didn’t feel like revisiting. “I don’t really want to talk about it, Kotori-chan…”  
  
“But I do!” Kotori exclaimed. Her lunch lay all but forgotten. “I just want to know why you’re condoning what they did, that’s all. How can you?”  
  
Honoka shrugged her shoulders. “She’s…my senpai. And I can’t be angry with her for something she can’t control. I mean I…”  
  
“What? Understand how she feels?” Kotori asked, the volume of her voice growing. “If you condone what she’s doing what’s to keep you from doing the same thing?!”  
  
“W-WHAT?!” Honoka’s eyes widened in surprise. “I-I don’t know what you mean. Are you talking about Umi-chan…?” The way Kotori flinched at the question gave her enough of an answer. “I’m trying to do nice things for her because she feels left out. She’s my best friend. And yours. She…”  
  
“I’m your GIRLFRIEND!” Kotori retorted angrily “You don’t cancel plans with your girlfriend to go out with your friend!”  
  
“But it’s Umi-chan! I’ve known her since I was a BABY!” Honoka’s voice was growing louder with frustration. “We’ve been together since forever! You can’t just ask me to leave her behind. And I know you wouldn’t either, you love Umi-chan…”  
  
“But I love you more!” Kotori stood up from the ground, her hands tightening into fists at her side. “Can you say the same?”  
  
Honoka stared up at Kotori. “I-I don’t know what’s gotten into you, Kotori-chan. But it’s not like that with me and Umi-chan. I don’t know how you could…” She trailed off, her voice catching. “I-I need to be alone for a while.” She picked up her bag, throwing it over her shoulder. “If you really think that you can take it out on me. But there’s no reason for you to be so cruel to her. I know you’ll regret it later. I know you.”  
  
Kotori was silent as she watched Honoka walk away from her. It was only when the door closed behind Honoka that she spoke. “DAMN IT!” She crouched back down, her head in her hands. She didn’t know what was wrong with her either. All she knew was that she was deeply afraid of losing Honoka. To anyone.


	14. Chapter 14

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Major drama and angst ahead, as is always the case! Hope you guys enjoy. Oh and M rated for sexual scenes. Very M rated.

“Aaah.”  
  
Maki did her best not to smile as Eli opened her mouth, her eyes closed. “You’re such a child sometimes.” She said playfully, nevertheless popping the piece of chocolate she’d been about to eat into Eli’s mouth.   
  
Eli smiled blissfully as she chewed without lifting her head from Maki’s lap. “I like chocolate.” She opened her eyes, squinting slightly against the sun’s rays. Apparently noticing, Maki moved her head into the way, creating a halo of light around herself.  “You look really pretty with the sun around you.”  
  
“You’re really pretty.” Maki countered softly, brushing her fingers against Eli’s cheek. She paused as Eli turned her head, kissing her palm. When blue eyes focused on her own, her lips twitched into a gentle smile. “Hey…”  
  
“Hey.” Eli whispered back. She leaned up briefly to press a sweet kiss to Maki’s lips before she lay back down.   
  
“Aren’t you uncomfortable?” Maki asked in concern. Eli had been lying on the floor like that for at least fifteen minutes already. Her neck had to be aching.   
  
“Nope.” Eli answered brightly. “I really like looking at you. So I’m staying where I am.”  
  
Maki chuckled under her breath and shook her head. “Fine.” She leaned her head back against the railing behind her and mindlessly ran her fingers through Eli’s hair, softly humming as she did so.   
  
Eli listened intently to Maki’s humming, realizing that she didn’t recognize what she was humming but it was nice. At least until she was cut off by the sound of the door to the roof being thrown open.   
  
“Oh. I…didn’t know anyone else was up here.”   
  
The sound of Nozomi’s voice had Eli sitting up quickly, looking in the direction of the door. “Nozomi…”  
  
Maki shrunk back, pressing herself further against the railing behind her. She was uncertain when she was talking to Nozomi alone but with Eli there it was almost impossible for her to think of what to say. “Eli, I-I need to go.”  
  
“It’s okay.” Eli whispered, getting to her feet. Her hand went briefly to the top of Maki’s head before she stepped forward. “If you want to stay up here we…we can leave if you want us to.”  
  
“No. No, it’s fine.” Nozomi averted her eyes, the familiar ache in her chest returning. “I just wanted to get away from all of the gossip. The roof is big enough for all three of us so I-I’ll just go over there.”  
  
“You don’t have to.” Eli said hopefully. “But I’d understand if you don’t want to speak to me right now. I just mean…” She sighed as Nozomi moved away a bit. She glanced back at Maki who slowly got to her feet, obviously preparing to leave. “Hey, it’s okay. Just calm down.” She reached out to Maki, pulling her to her side. “You don’t have to go anywhere.”  
  
“This isn’t a good idea.” Maki said anxiously. “What if Ni-”  
  
“She’s not here.” Eli interrupted hurriedly. “It’s just Nozomi. Nico isn’t here.”  
  
“She might be soon though! And she punched you so…” Maki trailed off helplessly, pressing her forehead to Eli’s shoulder. She’d been so comfortable a few moments ago and now she just felt like she wanted to run away. She took a deep breath, trying to calm herself before she pulled away.   
  
Nozomi glanced toward them, having been able to hear the conversation after walking away. She sighed to herself and rubbed the back of her neck. She’d come to the roof so she could think and not have to listen to the petty gossip about her, Eli, Maki and Nico but now she had to watch her ex with someone else. She pressed her forehead to the railings and inhaled deeply before she turned around and walked right up to the two of them.   
  
Maki let out a surprised sound of alarm and shrunk back slightly.   
  
Nozomi’s gaze lingered on Maki for a moment before she turned to Eli. Familiar blue eyes were staring at her curiously and Nozomi felt her heart clench in her chest at the realization that it had been weeks since they’d even looked at each other.   
  
“Your nose…” She reached out, her hand pausing near Eli’s face. When the blonde didn’t flinch away she carefully gripped her chin and turned her head to the side so she could examine it. It was only slightly bruised now. “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean for Nicocchi to do that.”  
  
“It’s fine.” Eli said as Nozomi lowered her hand from her face. She glanced to Maki, finding her staring intently at the ground. “It was nothing. Besides, I had my doctor take care of me.” She squeezed Maki’s hand gently and looked back to Nozomi. “I’m okay. Really.”  
  
Maki felt her face turn red at the memory of that day in the student council office.  
  
Nozomi nodded slowly and glanced between the two of them. She wished she could speak to Eli in private, that she could tell her exactly how much she missed her but she couldn’t. Not when Maki was there. The redhead wasn’t looking at her, she noticed, remembering their discussion a few days ago. Maki had seemed desperate to reconcile but she hadn’t really been able to respond.   
  
“Elichi.” She finally said, looking back to the blonde. “Maybe we could talk later? This weekend maybe, if you’re not busy? I really want to…talk things through with you.” She couldn’t just leave it like this. “Please?”  
  
“Sure.” Eli answered hesitantly, feeling Maki flinch against her right after. “I can come to your apartment if you make sure Nico isn’t there.”  
  
Nozomi gave a small smile and nodded her head. “Alright. I can make sure she’s out.”  
  
Eli felt Maki start to pull away and gripped her arm to stop her. “We have to go. I’ll see you on Saturday, Nozomi.” She smiled fleetingly before she moved toward the door of the roof, pulling Maki with her. As soon as the door closed behind them she turned back to Maki. “Calm down.”  
  
“I’m calm.” Maki said through gritted teeth. “Don’t tell me to calm down.”  
  
“Maki, please.” Eli placed her hands on Maki’s shoulders, trying to soothe her. “It’s not what you think. I’m not going to do anything. You have to believe me.” She kissed Maki gently on the lips. “Look at me. Come on.”  
  
“You love her.” Maki looked back to Eli but her eyes were damp. “And she loves you. I don’t trust her, Eli. I know I have no right to say that after what we did but I know she’ll make a move. And you love her!”  
  
“I have to speak to her. I owe it to her and…she’s my best friend. Or she was my best friend.” Eli answered, at a loss. “I have to go. I promise I won’t do anything.”  
  
Maki shook her head. “Will you call me when you’ve spoken to her? If you don’t then I’ll know…” She couldn’t fathom how much it would hurt if she didn’t get that call. “Please just call.”  
  
“I will.” Eli kissed Maki again, letting herself linger this time and feeling Maki respond in kind. When they pulled away she smiled softly. “Let’s skip our next classes. I want to be with you awhile longer.”  
  
“Papa will be mad!” Maki said, wide eyed. “A-And you’re the student council president, you’re not supposed to.”  
  
“Not anymore.” Eli answered with a grin. “I’m just a normal student now. And it’s just one class. Come on.” She pulled Maki flush against her. “We can make out in the student council room. Honoka won’t mind. At least if she doesn’t know.”  
  
Maki laughed despite herself and nodded in response. “Just one class though, okay?”  
—

  
Nico bit her lip, her gaze focused on the ceiling as Nozomi lightly kissed and nipped at her neck, each brush of her lips and teeth sending a shudder through her. She wasn’t sure how it escalated to this. She’d only come over to make the girl some dinner and do homework, just like they always did. They’d done that plenty of times before but they’d never felt the need to go further than the odd innocent kiss when the right situation had arisen, like when they’d passed in the kitchen or Nozomi had wandered over to check if she could do anything while Nico was making dinner.   
  
That seemed to have changed since their not so innocent kiss on the roof though. Nico was trying to keep in mind that the kissing didn’t mean anything, that Nozomi was just heartbroken over Eli and looking for comfort. She tried to tell herself that but in reality she couldn’t bring herself to really care about it.   
  
Their ties had long since been discarded, joining their math homework on the floor next to Nozomi’s bed. Somehow over the course of ten minutes or so Nozomi had managed to open Nico’s blazer and unbutton her shirt without her even noticing. She supposed she was mostly distracted by the lips on her neck as well as caught up in trying not to make any noise.   
  
Nico gasped softly as Nozomi’s hand slipped into the front of her bra.   
  
“I finally get to touch your chest without any clothes in the way.” Nozomi husked, lightly sucking at Nico’s neck as she touched her breast.   
  
“T-This doesn’t feel like a punishment.” Nico stuttered, arching wantonly into the light caress.   
  
“It’s not, it’s pleasure, Nicocchi.” Nozomi moved her lips to Nico’s ear. “If you want me to punish you I can do that later though.”  
  
Nico whimpered as Nozomi’s free hand slipped between them, lightly caressing her inner thigh. “N-Nozomi…”  
  
“Nicocchi.” Nozomi whispered, gently biting Nico’s ear. “What is it?”  
  
“N-Noth…” Nico trailed off with an embarrassingly loud moan as Nozomi lowered her head and licked her neck. “N-Nozomi!”  
  
“Hmm?” Nozomi smirked and brushed her fingers up and down the soft skin of Nico’s inner thigh. She sucked firmly on Nico’s neck, adding another mark to the ones she’d already made. “Mine…”  
  
“Yeah.” Nico gasped, her hand going to the back of Nozomi’s head. “Y-Yours. I don’t care who knows.”  
  
Nozomi smiled against Nico’s neck, touched by the sentiment. She needed somebody who genuinely cared about her. After everything Nico had done it didn’t seem like anyone cared as much as she did.   
  
Nico let out a soft moan as she arched helplessly into Nozomi, needy and desperate. “Nozomi.” She murmured pleadingly, her hands slipping under the back of Nozomi’s shirt. She felt lips descend down her chest, her bra being pushed away before Nozomi was sucking and licking and biting at her breasts. “Nozoooomi…”  
  
“Say it again.” Nozomi whispered, flicking her tongue against Nico’s nipple. “Moan my name.”  
  
“Nozomi.” Nico moaned obediently though she was sure she would have been anyway. “Nozomi!” She rolled her hips forward, trying to make contact with Nozomi’s hand but it was just out of reach.   
  
“How much do you want it?” Nozomi asked, her gaze flitting up briefly. “Tell me.”  
  
“I-I…” Nico squeezed her eyes shut, a bit annoyed that she was being dominated so easily. “Damn it, just…a lot, okay? I-I really want it.”  
  
Nozomi smirked. “Such a needy girl you are…”  
  
Nico frowned and shook her head. “I’m not needy!”  
  
“Oh?” Nozomi trailed her fingers further up Nico’s thigh, watching her closely for her reaction. “You don’t want it, do you? You need it.” She pressed the tips of her fingers gently against Nico’s core, clearly able to feel her arousal through the fabric of her panties.   
  
Nico grinded forward against Nozomi’s fingers, a moan unwittingly passing her lips. “Fuck…”  
  
“Tsk.” Nozomi tutted with a shake of her head. “No cursing, Nicocchi. Unless you want to be punished?”  
  
“T-This is unfair.” Nico protested meekly, unable to do anything. “I’m the only one with my clothes off.”  
  
A flicker of doubt crossed Nozomi’s face before she schooled her expression back to being playful. “Oh?” She teased. “Nicocchi is more perverted than I thought.”  
  
“Shut up, I’m not!” Nico huffed, her gaze raking over Nozomi. “Just…at least let me see some skin. Take your shirt off at least?”  
  
“Why do I have to do all of the work?” Nozomi tried to keep the teasing tone in her voice but even she knew she was dawdling. She’d never been especially self-conscious about her body but Eli breaking up with her and choosing Maki had made her doubt herself, physically and mentally.   
  
She knew it was stupid, at least on some level. She had the most impressive chest in Muse and everyone knew it. Even Eli had commented on it a few times when they’d been together. Still, the idea that Nico wouldn’t like what she saw lingered.   
  
“Fine. Let me help you then.” Nico sat up, using Nozomi’s distraction to her advantage. She quickly unbuttoned Nozomi’s shirt and splaying her hands over the girl’s chest, pushed up until she was pushing the shirt off completely. When she was done, she licked her lips, taking in the sight of the half clothed girl in front of her. “Wow…”  
  
“Hmm?” Nozomi asked, her voice higher than usual with nerves. “What?!”  
  
“You’re just impressive. And…hot.” Nico answered, forcing her gaze up to meet Nozomi’s.   
  
“Really?” Nozomi tucked her lower lip nervously between her teeth.   
  
Nico’s hand went to the back of Nozomi’s neck and she pulled her close, kissing her hard. “You’re so sexy, Nozomi. Seriously…e-even your voice sounds like pure sex.” She pushed Nozomi’s bra strap aside and leaned in, biting down on her shoulder.   
  
Nozomi gasped softly, her hand going to the back of Nico’s head to hold her close. Almost unconsciously she tugged Nico’s hair ties from her hair, allowing them to hang around her own wrist instead. She felt Nico push against her shoulders and fell back, allowing the other girl to crawl on top of her.   
  
“Nicocchi…” Nozomi murmured softly as she watched Nico’s hair fall around her shoulders. She looked wild with her hair loose and slightly messy. “I-I always tease you about your size b-but honestly you really are…beautiful, you know?”  
  
Nico felt her face flood with heat and ducked her head. “Geez, why do you have to say weird things like that?” She looked up, barely able to meet Nozomi’s eyes. “You are too. You don’t have to hide yourself from me.”  
  
She kissed Nozomi again and as slowly as she could, slid her hands around to gently unlatch her bra at the back. She felt the movement of Nozomi’s lips against her pause as the girl beneath her took a deep breath.   
  
“It’s okay.” Nico whispered softly against Nozomi’s lips. “It’s just me.” She carefully pushed the bra off completely before pulling away slightly. “Wow…”  
  
“You’re too kind, Nicocchi. And so cute…” Nozomi mused as she watched Nico tracing her fingers over her breast. “I like this side of you…”  
  
As Nico leaned down to nip, suck and kiss Nozomi’s breasts she briefly considered how messed up the whole situation was. She knew the only possible reason Nozomi was doing this with her was because she was using her to get over Eli, even if she wasn’t aware of that.   
  
Nozomi moaned at the sensation and arched her back, her fingers threading into Nico’s dark hair. “Nicocchi.”  
  
Nico realized with a smirk how quickly their situations had been reversed. She slid her hand under Nozom’s skirt and toyed with her thigh highs, her fingers going beneath them to massage soft skin.   
  
Nozomi squirmed beneath Nico, her breaths short and heavy. It suddenly felt too hot. Far too hot.   
  
“Is that good?”  
  
The roughness of Nico’s voice had Nozomi’s hips bucking slightly, a loud whimper passing her lips. “It’s too hot…”  
  
“You’re too hot.” Nico quipped, kissing Nozomi’s chest once more. She moved down, her own chest heaving as she teasingly licked Nozomi’s taut stomach. “If I see you doubt yourself again I’ll be pissed. You’re the most athletic girl in our year. And the hottest.”  
  
Nozomi shook her head quickly. “You’re the hottest.” She didn’t fail to hear Nico scoff. “To me you are. And…” She trailed off with a gasp as Nico kissed the area between her legs without warning. It was over both her skirt and panties but it sent pleasurable jolts through her. “Shit, Nicocchi…”  
  
Nico grinned. “Well look who’s swearing now, hmm?”  
  
“Just…” Nozomi trailed off, wanting to argue but unable to. She looked down, finding Nico pushing her skirt up. “W-Wait, Nicocchi!” She tugged Nico back up to her and kissed her deeply, her hand at the back of her neck. When she pulled away she smiled faintly, drawing Nico down to her. “Let’s just…stay like this for a while, okay?”  
  
Nico nodded and lay her cheek upon Nozomi’s chest, closing her eyes for a few moments. “M-Maybe we should just go back to doing homework…”  
  
“No, let’s stay like this.” Nozomi wrapped her arms tighter around Nico and held her close.   
  
—  
  
Kotori hummed to herself as she walked up the stairs to her bedroom, carrying a bowl of strawberries in her hands. She was hoping that giving Honoka one of her favourite things to eat would help to ease the tension between the two of them. Since what she’d said on the roof they hadn’t really spoken.   
  
She pushed open the door, pausing when she noticed Honoka had moved. She had been sitting cross legged on the floor but now she was lying on her back with her head in Umi’s lap, a content look on her face. Umi was trailing her fingers gently through Honoka’s hair, the other girl’s hair tie around her wrist. Unlike Honoka she was still studying, holding her textbook in one hand.   
  
Kotori closed the door awkwardly and returned to where she’d been sitting without a word, placing the bowl of strawberries on the table. She looked the two of them over, biting her bottom lip. “Um…I brought us a snack.”  
  
Honoka didn’t move, nor did she acknowledge that Kotori had spoken.   
  
Kotori sighed, her shoulders slumping. She should have expected that Honoka would still be angry with her.   
  
“Uh…thanks.” Feeling bad, Umi set her book down and took a strawberry, nibbling thoughtfully on it. “I don’t like this. It’s too weird for the two of you to not be speaking to each other. You hardly ever fight.”  
  
Neither Kotori nor Honoka said anything and Umi heaved a sigh. “And you’re not going to tell me what happened?”  
  
“No! Absolutely not.” Honoka said sharply, pushing herself into a sitting position. “It’s fine, Umi-chan. It’s nothing.” She cast a warning look at Kotori before she lowered herself back into Umi’s lap. She kept her eyes open this time so she didn’t fail to see Umi look down with a stern look on her face. “What?”  
  
Kotori looked down at the table and bit the inside of her cheek, trying to force back the tears in her eyes. She knew she deserved it to some extent after the accusations she’d made but she was still worried about it, especially seeing their hands entwined tightly.   
  
Honoka closed her eyes again, choosing to focus on the gentle movement of Umi’s fingers through her hair. If she was honest she hated not speaking to Kotori but she couldn’t just ignore her after what she had said. Not knowing how upsetting it would be for Umi to hear something like that. She gritted her teeth and tightened her grip on Umi’s hand, trying not to let herself get worked up again.   
  
Umi felt the squeeze to her hand and gently rubbed the back of Honoka’s with her thumb, trying to soothe her. Whatever had happened between the two of them must have been bad for Honoka to have completely stopped speaking to Kotori. The two of them had always been close, so much so that she’d often felt jealous of that closeness.   
  
She leaned down to Honoka, lowering her voice to a whisper. “Do you want to go home?” She felt rather than saw Honoka nod her head. “Wait for me outside.”  
  
Honoka got up without an argument and left the room, grabbing her bag on the way.   
  
Kotori watched her go with a forlorn expression on her face. She heard Umi stand up behind her. All was silent for a moment until Umi spoke.   
  
“Kotori, what did you do?”  
  
Umi’s voice was hardly angry at all. In fact she mostly sounded concerned but it still had Kotori cringing. “I-I can’t. Honoka-chan says I can’t tell you.”  
  
Umi narrowed her eyes at her best friend. “Is it something you did to her? You don’t seem angry about it so it must be, right?” She felt slightly guilty at always assuming it was something Honoka had done. “What did you do to her?”  
  
“I didn’t do ANYTHING!” Kotori’s voice rose in anger and she pushed herself to her feet. She began to pace in front of the door, her hands curled into fists. “I just…I said something really awful about her. Something that hurt her and now I can’t take it back. I can never take it back and the worst part is I don’t know if I want to because I still think…” She trailed off, finally coming to a stop.   
  
“Kotori, please tell me.” Umi’s voice was quiet but firm as she stepped forward. “I need to know what you said.”  
  
“I can’t.”  
  
“I need to! She’s my…she’s one of my best friend and if whatever you said is still hurting her I need to help her! I…”  
  
“You love her.” Kotori said bluntly.   
  
“O-Of course I do. And you.” Umi seemed to completely miss the point and Kotori dug her nails into the palms of her hands. “Is that what you said? Did you tell her you don’t love her or…?”  
  
“NO!” Kotori exclaimed quickly, horrified by the thought. “I do love her! You…you don’t think I love her?”  
  
“I didn’t say that.” Umi argued, shaking her head. “I-I just think you might have taken things a bit…too fast with uh…” She trailed off, biting her lip as Kotori frowned at her. “I’m not taking sides. I-I just want what’s best for both of you. If it’s not each other…”  
  
“Get out.” Kotori growled, her eyes stinging with tears. “You are taking sides. You know you are.”  
  
“I’m NOT!” Umi said loudly, frustration evident in her tone. “I told you, I just want what’s best for both of you. If you’re hurting her…”  
  
“Couples fight!” Kotori said angrily. “Not that you would know that!”  
  
“Of course…because I don’t have anyone, right?” Umi said angrily. “I know enough to know that couples fight but they also support each other. When was the last time she let you see her cry? How can she trust you with her feelings when all you do is trample on her feelings when she shares them with you?! I-I’m not saying this to be mean, Kotori. But Honoka needs you to try to understand her.”  
  
“I don’t understand her. I don’t understand how she can condone what Eli-chan and Maki-chan did to Nozomi-chan. Of course I don’t understand that!” Kotori snapped. “Nozomi-chan is meant to be her friend!”  
  
“She IS! Why can’t you understand that Honoka loves her friends more than anyone. That includes Eli and Maki, it doesn’t matter what they’ve done wrong!”  
  
“BUT SHE LOVES YOU THE MOST!” Kotori hadn’t meant to say it but it was as though the truth had forced itself free. She just couldn’t hold it back anymore.   
  
“Wha…?” Umi stared at Kotori through wide eyes  
  
“IT’S TRUE!” The shocked look on Umi’s face made Kotori feel a little bit silly for her suggestion but she pressed on. “She cares more about your feelings than mine!”  
  
Umi slowly shook her head. “That’s only because…I missed her. I missed both of you. After the two of you got together, I-I felt…like you’d left me behind. Especially her. She just wants me to feel better. I don’t know why you’re acting like this.”  
  
“She loves you. You might not be able to see it but I do. Everytime she looks at you…” Kotori bowed her head, weeping earnestly into her hands now. “I just want her to look at me like that.”  
  
Umi’s throat tightened at the sight of Kotori’s pain. “She does.” She forced out. “If you think she loves me more than she loves you, you’re wrong. I understand how you feel though. I thought…her being with you meant that she loved me less but it doesn’t. She just loves us differently.”  
  
Kotori looked up tearfully. “I don’t know if she loves me like that. We haven’t…done anything yet. We’ve kissed but Honoka-chan never wants to go further than that. I don’t know if she was trying not to hurt me when she said yes to my confession.”  
  
“That’s ridiculous.” Umi said bluntly. “Honoka would never have said yes if she wasn’t sure about how she felt. If she…wants to take it slowly you should talk to her about it. Definitely not me…” She pressed her hand against her reddening cheeks, trying to cool down. “You know how Honoka is. She’s oblivious to this kind of thing. It just means she’s not ready.”  
  
“Umi-chan, tell me the truth.” Kotori looked Umi straight in the eye, vaguely noticing that she was holding her shoulder. “You’ve kissed her, haven’t you?”  
  
Umi opened her mouth to protest but fell silent at the last second. “Yes.” She finally answered, looking down at the ground. “The weekend before you confessed to her. I really thought I might have feelings for her and I wanted to know what kissing her would feel like. I just needed to know what it was like a-and I ran away right after. I’m sorry.” She rubbed her burning shoulder with her hand, the corners of her eyes stinging with tears.   
  
“That’s…before we started dating.” Kotori said quietly. Somehow finally being told the truth made her feel better but worse in a different way.   
  
“I had to get over my feelings and I did.” Umi answered gruffly. “It’s not you. Honoka really is just dense when it comes to all that. Even more than me. One day you will be able to…make love to her. Even if it’s not anytime soon. She really does love you though. She’d never look twice at anyone else. If you’re accusing her of that, I’m not surprised she’s hurt. You need to fix this and you need to hurry up before you push her away completely.”  
  
Kotori was silent and it gave Umi an opportunity to excuse herself. “I better get going. She’s waiting for me.” She didn’t give Kotori time to respond before she left the room, taking the familiar route down the stairs and out the front door. She found Honoka sitting on the doorstep, scrolling through her phone. “Hey…”  
  
Honoka jumped to her feet at the sight of Umi though the smile that had lingered on her lips slipped away after a second. “She told you.” The tears in Umi’s eyes caused her chest to clench uncomfortably. “What did she d-”  
  
“Can we just go?” Umi asked, more than a little hurt by the accusations she’d been presented with. “I just want to go. Please.”  
  
“Okay.” Honoka said softly, stepping forward. She placed her hand supportively on Umi’s back. “Are you still sleeping over?”  
  
Umi bit down on her lower lip, trying to force her tears back and nodded. “Please. Can we go to my place?”  
  
“Okay.” Honoka said softly, guiding Umi forward with the hand on her back. “Let’s go.”  
  
—-  
  
Nico had fallen asleep. Nozomi could tell from her soft, rhythmic breathing. She’d been like that for almost thirty minutes when Nozomi’s phone rang, startling her awake.   
  
“Sorry.” Nozomi whispered groggily, having almost nodded off herself at several point herself. She gently nudged Nico off of her and reached for her phone on the bedside table. “Hello?”  
  
“Nozomi-chan!” Kotori exclaimed into the phone, her tone anxious. “I-I’m sorry to call, I-I didn’t know who else I could go to. I can’t go to Honoka-chan or Umi-chan because we’re fighting and I’m not speaking to Eli-chan and Maki-chan and Hanayo-chan and Rin-chan are too young and Nico-chan isn’t answering her phone a…”  
  
“Okay, okay. Calm down.” Nozomi said quickly as she watched Nico sit up, rubbing her eyes. “What’s wrong? What happened?”  
  
“I think…”  Kotori seemed to take a large gulp of air. “I-I need to speak to you in person. Can I…?”  
  
“Of course you can.” Nozomi said though she was still confused. “But what’s going on? And why did you go through everyone else in Muse before you called me?” She was slightly hurt by that. She’d always set out to support everyone in Muse.   
  
“I-I just need to talk to you.” Kotori said quietly, her voice trembling.   
  
“Right. I’ll come to you. Where are you?” Nozomi asked, swinging her legs over the side of the bed.   
  
“Outside your apartment. I-I’m sorry. I really can’t think of anyone else. After Honoka-chan and Umi-chan you were the first person I thought of but…”  
  
“Nicocchi, get dressed!” Nozomi hissed, covering the phone with her hand. As Nico got off her, she took her hand away from the phone. “But what?”  
  
“I know this is going to hurt you. I don’t want it to be you I talk to but there’s nobody else.” Kotori whimpered softly when she finished and Nozomi glanced at Nico, finding she had borrowed one of her shirts. It was loose on her for obvious reasons but it looked good on her.   
  
“I’ll be there in a few minutes.”  
  
She hung up the phone without saying anything else and hurriedly tugged her bra back on before finding her school shirt again. She hastily tugged it back on, buttoning it as she went to answer the door. When she opened it she found Kotori standing there, tears in her eyes.   
  
“I’m sorry.” Kotori apologized again before Nozomi opened her arms to her and she rushed into then, sobbing softly into the third year’s shoulder.   
  
Behind them, Nico sighed. “I’ll go and make some tea.”  
  
Nozomi lingered in the doorway for a few minutes, gently rubbing Kotori’s back until the younger girl calmed down. Gently, she guided her into the living room where Nico was just setting down the tea she’d made. “What’s going on?”  
  
Kotori sat down at the table, Nozomi sitting opposite her while Nico sat at the far side to them.   
  
“I was wondering…” Kotori mumbled, glancing between the two of them. It was easier with the two of them. She didn’t have to speak to Nozomi directly. “Have you two ever had any problems with sex?”  
  
Nico promptly spat out her tea. “W-WHY ARE YOU ASKING ME?!”  
  
“S-Sorry.” Kotori said apologetically. “Um…Nozomi-chan?”  
  
Nozomi sighed and leaned back in her seat. “I was only ever with Elichi like that. I-I don’t think we’d be a good example…”  
  
“It’s not like I’ve ever done it anyway.” Nico piped up, having composed herself. “So I can’t answer.”  
  
Kotori nodded slowly. “Honoka-chan and I haven’t done it yet. And I don’t think she wants to do it with me.”  
  
“How do you know she doesn’t?” Nozomi asked, crossing her arms in front of her chest. She wasn’t sure she was in any kind of position to give relationship advice but she couldn’t deny that helping her friends again was appealing to her.   
  
“Well she keeps pushing me away whenever we get close to anything like that.” Kotori answered shiftily. “And now, I-I think she might break up with me.”  
  
Nozomi’s brow furrowed in concern. “Why do you think that?”  
  
“I accused her of being in love with Umi-chan…” Kotori’s whispered admission took bot Nozomi and Nico by surprise. “She says I’m being silly but I can see it. If you could see the way they look at each other…”  
  
Nozomi looked down at the table, unwittingly thinking about the looks she’d seen exchanged between them.   
  
“I could tell Honoka-chan liked Umi-chan before I confessed to her.” Kotori rambled on, not looking up to see their reactions. “And Umi-chan loves her too. A-And Umi-chan said they kissed before we got together. They said there’s nothing going on now but I can’t help but think…” She bit her lip, tears welling in her eyes again as she looked up at Nozomi. “I’m sorry, Nozomi-chan. I don’t want to hurt you but…”  
  
“It’s okay.” Nozomi interrupted, standing from her seat. She walked around the table to Kotori, laying her hand on her shoulder. “You can always talk to me. But Kotori…” She perches on the table and briefly bit her lip. “It might not be what you think. Good sex doesn’t always meant that the relationship is going well. I remember…” She paused for a moment, trying to push past the familiar stabbing feeling in her chest. She missed Eli so much it was hard to breathe sometimes. “I remember the sex with Elichi was good. It was really good…but it didn’t make a difference. So even if you’re not there yet with Honoka it might not be anything to worry about.”  
  
Kotori blinked up at her. “You really think so?”  
  
“Yeah. Just ask her again.” Nozomi said with a small smile. “Ask her for the truth but I’m sure it’s nothing to worry about.”  
  
“Thank you.” Kotori stood up and hugged Nozomi tightly, taking her a bit by surprise. “Thank you, Nozomi-chan.”  
  
Nozomi hummed in response and hugged Kotori back, sharing a look with Nico over her shoulder. 


	15. Chapter 15

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Warning(s): M rated for sexual scenes.

Eli glanced at Nozomi out of the corner of her eye as the movie they’d been watching came to a close. She’d been surprised when Nozomi had said that she wanted the two of them to spend the evening together like they used to but at the same time she’d been hopeful that it was the first step to getting their friendship back. She missed Nozomi so much it hurt sometimes.   
  
She looked to the clock and shifted nervously. It was past eight already and she’d promised Maki that she would call her.   
  
‘If you don’t call me then I’ll know…’  
  
Eli cursed under her breath. She could only imagine what Maki was thinking because she hadn’t called. She clearly remembered the uncertainty Maki’s eyes had held when she’d asked her to call her.   
  
“Elichi?” Nozomi’s voice caught Eli’s attention, distracting her from her thoughts for a few minutes. “Um…I was wondering if we could talk. About us. I know I said I wanted this to be normal tonight but I just…I don’t want to leave things the way they are now with us.”  
  
“O-Okay, I guess. If you want.” Eli turned more toward Nozomi on the couch. She was nervous and unsettled, something that annoyed her. She’d always been comfortable with Nozomi. “I’m listening.”

Nozomi anxiously bit her lip. “Right. Um…well I guess what I want to know is um…how do you feel about me?”

“How do I…feel about you?” Eli echoed slowly, glancing at her phone. “Well…I don’t feel any different than I felt before.” She held her breath as Nozomi scooted close to her. She looked down, swallowing thickly. It hadn’t escaped her notice that Nozomi was wearing the shorts she looked especially good in. The ones that showed off her thighs and long legs. “Um…I-I need to call Maki. I-I’m sorry. I promised I would call.”  
  
“Elichi.” Nozomi stopped Eli from getting up with a hand on her arm. “Just wait. Can we just talk about us without talking about Maki-chan? Please?”  
  
“Nozomi…” Eli sighed and looked away. “What is there to talk about? We’re best friends, aren’t we? I miss you. I miss hanging out with you.”  
  
“You do?” Nozomi asked hopefully, leaning a bit closer. “I miss you too.”  
  
Eli stopped Nozomi with a gentle hand on her chest. “Nozomi, I’m…I need her a-and I’m in love with her. I still love you too but I’ve made my decision. I-I’m staying with her.”  
  
Nozomi’s face fell. “And you’re sure it’s not just infatuation? You said it was just physical…”  
  
“It was physical at first but I’m sure.” Eli answered quietly, thinking back to her time with Maki. “There’s more to her than you know. And the more I get to know her, the more I know I really do love her. But that doesn’t mean I’ll never not love you. I love both of you but Maki needs me. I’m…”  
  
“I need you!” Nozomi exclaimed, taking Eli’s hands in her own. “We were happy when we were together, weren’t we? You were happy before you started…with her.”  
  
“Of course I was! Nozomi, I love you. And I owe you a lot.” Eli said emphatically. “You were the one who pulled me from the dark. You were my first real friend and…and my first love. Bu-” She was cut off as Nozomi leaned forward and pressed her lips to hers. She closed her eyes, lifting her hands to push Nozomi away but ended up placing her hands on her shoulders instead as a wave of familiarity washed over her. Nozomi’s scent, the feeling of her lips moving against hers and the warmth of her skin through her shirt was comfortingly familiar.  
  
She kissed her back like it was second nature. Like it came as naturally to her as breathing. Her hands cupped Nozomi’s face and she drew her closer, gently deepening the kiss. It had been so long since she had kissed her that she couldn’t help but indulge mindlessly in the feeling.   
  
It was only when a warm hand slipped under her shirt, fingers splaying across her stomach that she came to her senses and jerked back, her eyes wide with surprise. “Shit! No, I-I can’t do this again…” The hurt look on Nozomi’s eyes and the guilt building in her stomach had her eyes flooding with tears. She quickly pushed Nozomi away. “I-I’m sorry, I have to go…”  
  
“Elichi!” Nozomi stood up quickly along with Eli, watching as the blonde pulled her phone from her pocket.   
  
“I-I have to call Maki. I promised her I would…” Eli scrolled through her contacts with trembling fingers. “God, I promised her I wouldn’t do anything and now I’ve…”  
  
“You’re crying.” Nozomi said softly, taking a step forward.   
  
“I-I have to go!” Eli hurried from the room without another word and a moment later Nozomi hear the front door slam shut.   
  
—

Maki tried everything to find a way to distract herself. She tried reading, watching television, she even tried calling Honoka at one point but their leader had seemed like she was too busy to talk. Maki shuddered to think about what it had seemed she’d been doing. It really wasn’t something she had ever wanted to hear.  
  
Her phone was distracting too, though not in the way that she wanted to be distracted. She couldn’t stop staring at it, waiting for Eli to call her so she’d turned it over so she didn’t have to look at the screen. With every passing minute she seemed to get more anxious. The later it got the more sure she was that Eli wasn’t going to call until finally after nine her phone rang. Maki scrambled to pick it up, having resorted to lying on her back, staring at the ceiling. It was Eli, she found with a wave of relief. She had been so sure she wasn’t going to get that call.   
  
“H-Hello?”  
  
“Maki…” Eli’s voice was choked with emotion and Maki clutched the phone tighter.   
  
“Eli?”  
  
“I-I need to see you. I need to see your face. Please. I-I need to hear your voice and I need to kiss you. Can you come? Please?” Eli pleaded in a way that was so unlike her that Maki jumped up from the bed and started to get dressed right away.   
  
“Where are you?” She asked anxiously.   
  
“The school. Meet me at the school, on the roof. I have a key a-and I’ll leave the doors unlocked for you.” Eli said before pausing for a moment. “Maki…”  
  
“Yeah?” Maki hesitated in pulling on a clean shirt, aware of how awkward it would be while she was on the phone. “Eli?”  
  
“I-I’ll see you soon.”   
  
Eli hung up the phone and Maki quickly shoved it into her dark sweats before she pulled her white T-shirt on. She hurried down the stairs after, being careful not to make too much noise so as not to disturb her parents. She tugged her black converses, cap and jacket on and slipped out of the house before she took off at a sprint. By the time she reached the school she was gasping for breath and had to pause for a couple of minutes outside but she got there in record time.  
  
She slipped into the building and made her way through the halls, noticing how creepy the school was when it was dark. She felt less nervous as she ascended the stairs to the roof, knowing Eli would be there waiting for her. Indeed as she stepped through the door she found the blonde standing near the railings.   
  
“Eli.” Maki said in relief as she stepped forward. She noticed Eli’s shoulders shaking and wavered nearby. It had crossed her mind a few times that Eli might be so upset because she’d done something with Nozomi but now it seemed that the suspicion was confirmed. “Hey.”  
  
Eli turned quickly and Maki caught the brief sight of tears in her eyes before the blonde was hugging her tightly, burying her face in her shoulder. Surprised, Maki could only hug back. Thankfully Eli seemed to be composed enough to keep herself from really crying, it just seemed she was teary. Maki could only hope it wasn’t something serious that was bothering her.   
  
After a moment Eli pulled away and went to sit back down against the railings. Maki waited for her to speak but when she didn’t after a few minutes she sighed and went to sit next to her. She leaned her head back against the cool metal. “The stars are pretty tonight.” She murmured, though that didn’t get a response. She silently took Eli’s hand and entwined their fingers. “Did you know I wanted to play basketball at one point? In middle school. I was pretty good back then but the other kids were intimidated so I stopped. I never found it easy making friends so I figured I should make an effort. And my papa didn’t like it either. He thought I should be more ladylike.” She softly chuckled at the thought, not noticing Eli look toward her. “I guess I’m not as ladylike as I pretend to be. I’m more like Rin than I’d care to admit. She’d probably like it if I said that.”  
  
She pulled her knees to her chest, wrapping one arm around them and resting her chin upon her hand. “I want to be more like that sometimes though, even if I hate to admit it. I don’t know what you would think of it though. You might not like it much. It’s not as…ladylike and sexy as you’re used to. Not that I’m saying I’m…you know, it’s just that you always say it to me. I don’t think I am. I think you are. I’m surprised you really paid attention to me b-but I’m glad. I don’t know if anyone else could make me feel the way you do. Even when I had a crush on Nico-chan it wasn’t like that. I guess I was just confused…but with you, I know what I feel is real.”  
  
“I like your tomboyish side.” Eli finally spoke when Maki paused for breath. “I think you’re always sexy. Even then.”  
  
Maki gave a faint smile and turned more toward Eli. “Eli, what happened?”  
  
Eli closed her eyes briefly. “She kissed me. A-And I kissed her back. I didn’t push her away, I just…” She buried her face in her hands and groaned.  
  
“Oh. I figured that might happen…” Maki said quietly. The idea of Eli kissing someone else unsettled her but she supposed she didn’t have much of a right to complain when it came to Eli kissing Nozomi.   
  
“You should be mad at me! I KISSED HER BACK!” Eli exclaimed loudly. She’d promised herself she would never do anything like that with anyone while she was dating someone else. Not after what she’d done to Nozomi. “I’m a terrible girlfriend!”  
  
“G-Girlfriend?!” Maki sat up straight in surprise, her heart leaping in hope. “I’m your girlfriend?”  
  
“Yes. Of course. We’re dating, aren’t we?” Eli asked, confused by Maki’s surprise. “I thought you kn-” She was cut off as Maki threw her arms around her, offsetting her balance and causing both of them to fall to the ground. “Ah, what…?!”  
  
“I love you.” Maki kissed Eli’s lips firmly. “I love you so much.”  
  
“Huh?” Eli was even more confused if that was possible. “You heard the part about me kissing someone else, right?”  
  
Maki shook her head. “I’m happy. You just called me your girlfriend for the first time. I’m really really happy. I didn’t know we were…dating like that.”  
  
“You’ve been my girlfriend for two weeks now. How could you not know?” Eli asked, baffled.   
  
“I-I have?” Maki stuttered. “B-But in the dramas they…” She trailed off as Eli laughed at her. “What?”  
  
“You’re so adorable.” Eli cupped Maki’s face in her hands and kissed her softly. “I don’t deserve you.”  
  
“Don’t say that.” Maki frowned, still confused as to why Eli was laughing at her. “You do deserve me. You deserve more than me.”  
  
“I don’t.” Eli disagreed distractedly, making no move to get up. “But I still screwed up. You should be angry with me.”  
  
“I’m not. I’m just relieved. I’m your girlfriend…” Maki trailed off happily, barely able to believe it was true. “I’m really your girlfriend.” She leaned in and lightly nuzzled Eli’s nose before gently kissing her jaw. “I’m yours and you’re mine.”  
  
“I am.” Eli confirmed softly as Maki pulled her collar down. She gasped softly as the girl kissed her neck before she began to suck and nip at the area. She moaned softly and wrapped her arms around Maki’s back, pulling her down further. “M-Maki…”  
  
Maki smiled against soft skin as Eli tilted her head to allow her better access to her neck. “Hmm?”  
  
“Can you come back to mine?” Eli asked hopefully. “It’s Saturday so you could stay over. It’s just my mom and Arisa in the house. My mom won’t mind you staying over. She loves meeting my friends. And Arisa already likes you. As long as we keep the noise down we’ll be fine.”  
  
“Yeah. Papa is working late and Mama will be fine with it. She knows we’re together so…she’ll be fine that I’m with my g-girlfriend.”

  
Eli smiled broadly at Maki’s stuttering and got to her feet along with the redhead. She tugged Maki’s cap down playfully. “You look so hot like this. I don’t know if I’ll be able to keep my hands off you.”  
  
“I just threw something on.” Maki said, glancing down at herself. In track pants that hung low on her hips and a loose t-shirt she was hardly wearing anything special. She’d thrown the cap on and put her hair up mostly so she didn’t look like herself if she was honest. She didn’t want to be in trouble with her father again.   
  
“Then you won’t mind if I borrow this.” Eli took the cap from Maki’s head and put it on her own. “How do I look?”  
  
Maki pressed her hand over her mouth to hold back a giggle. “Cute.” She stepped forward and brushed a strand of hair from Eli’s face. “I love when you wear your hair down.”  
  
“I guess I should wear it down more often than.” Eli grinned before she took Maki’s hand.   
  
—  
  
Nico adjusted the shopping bag in her arms as she climbed the stairs to Nozomi’s apartment. She’d been fully prepared for a night spent on her own but Nozomi had text her, asking her if she wanted to have dinner together. She hadn’t refused of course.   
  
She lightly knocked on the door and waited the few moments it took for Nozomi to come and open the door. She frowned when Nozomi didn’t even greet her before she went back into the bedroom.   
  
“Great.” She muttered, placing the groceries on the counter. She followed Nozomi, finding her sitting on her bed. “What did she do? I told you it was a bad idea.”  
  
“It wasn’t her, it was me.” Nozomi muttered without looking up. “I kissed her. I kissed her and she kissed me back.”  
  
“Isn’t that a good thing?” Nico asked impatiently. “It must mean she still loves you, right? Otherwise she wouldn’t have kissed you back.”  
  
“I think so. But she left in tears right after. I made her cry, Nicocchi. I’ve never…” Nozomi bowed her head, struggle not to cry anymore herself. She’d already shed too many tears after Eli had left. “Damn it!”  
  
Nico gritted her teeth together. It seemed Eli was constantly upsetting Nozomi and it just irritated her. “Screw her. So what if she was upset? She’s…” She sat down next to Nozomi with a huff of annoyance. “Maybe she was just figuring out what she sacrificed for some stupid fling. I I had what she had I wouldn’t have just thrown it away.”  
  
“It’s not a fling, she’s in love wi-”  
  
“I don’t want to hear that!” Nico exclaimed angrily. “I’ll prove it to you, okay? Date me for a week and we’ll make her jealous. She’ll see what she’s missing and come back.”  
  
“I don’t think that would work.” Nozomi said with a small smile. She teasingly nudged the other girl. “Besides, what if I end up falling for Nicocchi? You might break my heart too.”  
  
Nico froze for a moment before she managed to shake it off and roll her eyes. “Don’t be stupid. I’m not your type. I’m not tall, blonde and hot. Most importantly I’m not Eli. You only love her. Besides, give me some credit. If you did fall for me I’d be the last person to break your heart.” She tensed as arms went around her and Nozomi drew her close to her. “Nozomi…”

  
“I would be happier if I could fall for you then.” Nozomi said softly, resting her cheek atop Nico’s head. “And you are my type. I like hotheads with a will to succeed. And I was drawn to you and Elichi when we were first years. Watching you struggle to get people to join your club in the rain was so hard. I just wanted to help you. I was worried that you would just be annoyed by me helping you, that’s why I only helped when you weren’t looking.”  
  
“Funny, I always thought I had a guardian angel or something.” Nico rested her head against Nozomi’s shoulder, allowing the contact to leech away her anger at Eli.   
  
Nozomi chuckled low in her throat. “I’m no angel.”  
  
“I could disagree.” Nico took Nozomi’s hand and lifted it to her mouth, kissing the back of it. “I think I kind of know how Honoka feels about Eli.”  
  
“Hmm?” Nozomi hummed in confusion, tilting her head.   
  
“Like she knows what Eli did is wrong but she won’t hate her for it.” Nico explained, not looking up to meet Nozomi’s inquisitive stare. She was already starting to feel embarrassed about the admission. “It’s like her loyalty to Eli is more important than anything else. I guess I kind of feel the same way about you. If anyone hurts you I’ll always defend you…or attack them sometimes…”  
  
“Why are you telling me all of this?” Nozomi asked, perplexed.   
  
“You caught my attention in the rain too. When I noticed you watching me.” Nico answered quietly. She made no effort to answer Nozomi’s question. “You always caught my attention. In the rain and in the halls. I wanted to get to know you. Even though you ended up being a pain in my ass.” She sighed and tilted her head back, a bit annoyed with herself. “I don’t know why I’m telling you all of this. I guess I’m in a sentimental mood or something.”  
  
“I didn’t know I’d had such an effect on you, Nicocchi.” Nozomi had tried to tease Nico but she sounded completely serious even to her own ears.   
  
“Yeah well, you roped me in with your attentiveness and those damn eyes of yours.” Nico bit her lip, hardly wanting to bare any more of her soul. “Nobody’s ever really looked at me the way you looked at me. With so much warmth, like you wanted to help. I guess that’s why they’re my favorite feature of yours. Second is your chest obviously.” She grinned to herself at that but quickly turned serious again. “But I was mostly attracted to your personality. You took me by surprise. I thought you’d be quiet…bookish. Look, I just think…what I’m trying to tell you is that you have friends who love you for who you are. If Eli can’t see that…well even I would be better for you.”  
  
“You?”  
  
“I’m just saying, hypothetically!” Nico hastened to add. “Don’t get an ideas. It’s not like this is a confession or anything.”  
  
Nozomi pressed her lips to Nico’s shoulder. “That’s too bad. Maybe I would have liked a confession.”  
  
“Huh?” Nico tensed as Nozomi reached for her but quickly relaxed as the third year untied her hair, letting it fall around her shoulders. “You would?”  
  
“Maybe Nicocchi is my remedy to all of this pain.” Nozomi said playfully before she pressed her lips to Nico’s.   
  
“You’re kidding, right?” Nico shuddered as Nozomi’s hand slipped under her shirt, fingers splaying across her abdomen before moving up. “Aaah…”  
  
“You’re…not wearing a bra.” Nozomi said slowly, surprise evident in her voice.   
  
“I-I was at home when you called. I usually don’t wear a bra to bed.” Nico said, closing her eyes as fingers cautiously explored her chest.”Nozomi…”  
  
“You like that, Nicocchi?” Nozomi murmured, playfully sliding her hand down into Nico’s shorts. She heard Nico hiss and felt her arch into her touch. “I want to keep going. Is that bad?” She ran her fingers along the edge of Nico’s panties. “Is it bad that I want to make you feel good? That I want you to moan my name?”  
  
Nico shook her head quickly. “Please…”  
  
“Should the great idol Nico Nico Nii really be this easy to talk into bed?” Nozomi laughed softly under her breath.   
  
“Shut up. Only one person is allowed to touch me.” Nico answered gruffly. “It’s not as though I do this with anyone else so just shut up and stop teasing me.”  
  
“If you say so.” Nozomi drew her hand from Nico’s panties, earning herself an irate look. “Stand up.”  
  
“What? So you can tease me some more?” Nico got to her feet despite her reluctance and stood in front of Nozomi. “What are you…?” She trailed off as Nozomi reached for her shorts, pushing them down until they pooled at her feet. “Nozomi…”  
  
“Shush, Nicocchi.” Nozomi ordered firmly, grasping the back of Nico’s thighs. She pulled the girl close until she could press her lips to her core, over her panties.   
  
Nico hissed, her hand going to the back of Nozomi’s head. It felt strange, but strange in a good way.   
  
Nozomi hooked her fingers under the waistband of Nico’s panties and slowly started to pull down. “Do you want me to stop? You can tell me if you do.”  
  
Nico shook her head even though her cheeks were burning with embarrassment about being mostly naked in front of Nozomi. “I want it. I want you. Please.”  
  
Nozomi hesitated for a split second, Nico’s panties halfway down her thighs. “Nicocchi, you know…”  
  
“It doesn’t mean anything. You know, you don’t have to treat me like an idiot.” Nico interrupted sharply. “It’s just sex. You’d be an idiot if you think I don’t care for you. I-I mean you’re my closest friend. But this is just physical so if you want to do this just hurry up and…aah.” She trailed off with a gasp as Nozomi finally touched her, even the light brush of her fingers sending sparks of pleasure coursing through her core. “God…” Her knees trembled beneath her and she clutched at Nozomi’s shoulders for balance. “I-I need to sit down.”  
  
Nozomi grinned at the response and stood up to nudge Nico onto the bed. When Nico was lying on her back, Nozomi took a moment to study her.   
  
“Nozomi…” Nico squirmed on the bed, her legs parting of their own accord. Nozomi took the opportunity to crawl between them.   
  
“Nicochhi is so cute, all desperate and needy…” Nozomi growled, sending a shiver down Nico’s spine. She pushed Nico’s shirt up to reveal her breasts before stripping herself of her own.   
  
Nico shivered as Nozomi’s fingers brushed through her folds, over and over. As she took in the sight of Nozomi’s skin she couldn’t help but want to strip her of her bra so she could see more. She couldn’t though, she was completely under Nozomi’s control. She moaned softly and tilted her head back, bucking her hips into Nozomi’s touch.   
  
“Stop teasing me.” She muttered, trying to move her hips to get Nozomi’s fingers to where she needed them to be. “Nozomi…” She gave up after a moment, seeing Nozomi smirk down at her. She was doing it on purpose. “A-At least take your bra off. I want to see you too…”  
  
“If that’s what Nicocchi wants…” Nozomi reached behind her back and unclipped her bra, slowly sliding the straps down her arms. She tossed it to the floor, watching as Nico’s eyes averted to her chest. “Do you like this, Nicocchi?”  
  
It was what she had needed since Eli had left her. To feel desired. The only person who really made her feel like that was Nico.   
  
“Yeah.” Nico sat up abruptly, forcing Nozomi back a little bit. “Yeah, I like it.” She gripped Nozomi’s shoulder and leaned in, closing her lips around the other girl’s nipple. She flicked her tongue against it repeatedly, drawing a surprised moan from Nozomi. She couldn’t help but smirk to herself. It seemed she wasn’t the only one who liked it.   
  
Her free hand slid up Nozomi’s thigh to her ass and she dug her fingernails into soft flesh, causing Nozomi gasp sharply.   
  
“I should have done this ages ago.” Nico muttered, drawing her mouth away only to lean in and suck hard at the soft flesh of Nozomi’s breast. “I could have taken you in the student council room, on the desk in the club room, on the roof.”  
  
“W-Who knew Nicocchi had such a filthy mind?”  
  
“I’m not as innocent as you think I am. Have you seen yourself? You’re hot.” Nico tugged Nozomi closer as she said that, her eyes aflame with something Nozomi recognized as desire. “Who the hell wouldn’t want you?”  
  
Nozomi’s mind flitted to Eli but Nico’s hands were still on her ass and she was still staring up at her as if she was waiting for an answer. “I-I…” She trailed off as nimble fingers pushed her panties out of the way. “Nicocchi…god.” She grinded her hips forward against Nico’s thigh, unwittingly. She was vaguely aware of Nico guiding her movements with her hands but she didn’t say anything about it.   
  
She managed to slip her hand between them after a moment, her fingers sliding through wet folds before they slid inside of the other girl. Nico gasped and still almost immediately, her hold on Nozomi loosening. It gave Nozomi the chance to push Nico down onto her back. “Nicocchi shouldn’t test her boundaries…”  
  
“If you were in my position I wouldn’t have…” Nico gasped as Nozomi drew her fingers backwards only to press them back inside. “B-boundaries.”  
  
Nozomi moved so that she was hovering over Nico and sucked at her collarbone, focusing on the warmth of the girl beneath her. Nico was right. The sex was meaningless but she needed it. It seemed that they both did if the way Nico’s nails were raking up and down her back was anything to go off of. “How much do you want it, Nicocchi? How much do you want me to fuck you senseless?”  
  
“I-I want it. I need it. Please…” Nico planted her feet on the bed and angled her hips so that Nozomi could go deeper with her fingers. “Just fuck me.”  
  
“I like Nicocchi’s filthy mouth.” Nozomi drew her arm back and wasted no time in doing what Nico had asked, pressing her fingers in hard and deeper. Her arm ached but the moans and whimpers from Nico made it easy to ignore.   
  
“Nozomi…” Nico moaned, arching her hips into Nozomi’s hand as best she could. “I-I’m almost…” She gritted her teeth together, focusing on the movement of Nozomi’s fingers inside of her. “Fuck. I love you, I love…mmph.” She was silenced by Nozomi’s lips pressing against her own, a tongue slipping into her mouth. With one last thrust of Nozomi’s fingers, the pleasure that had been mounting seemed to explode, sending shockwaves through her body. She jerked against Nozomi several times, groaning into the kiss before she slumped back onto the bed, her chest heaving. “Uuuh…”   
  
She felt too hot and sweaty but her body felt like lead so she couldn’t get up either. She felt Nozomi move to lie next to her, draping an arm over her middle. “Don’t, I’m all sweaty…”  
  
“So am I.” Nozomi kissed Nico’s shoulder and pulled the blankets over the two of them. “I don’t care. Don’t push me away.” She drew Nico closer, feeling the other girl sigh. The sound caused her stomach to sink in fear. Maybe she was doing it again. Maybe she was just holding onto someone who didn’t want to be there. “Do you want to leave?”  
  
Nico took a deep breath and looked away. “No. I don’t want to go anywhere, I’m just not very good at…cuddling. I feel sweaty and gross and I don’t want you to be grossed out by me and I’m just not very good with this kind of thing, alright?”  
  
Nozomi smiled, finding the blush on Nico’s cheeks endearing. Eli had always liked cuddling after sex, she recalled with a hint of sadness. It was probably a good thing Nico was so different. She felt Nico but it was only so that she was facing away from her. She made no effort to get up.   
  
Nico bit her lip as she felt Nozomi press her forehead to her back.   
  
“Nicocchi, what do you think is going to happen when we graduate?”  
  
Nico’s brow furrowed. “Huh?”  
  
“I think Honoka-chan is thinking about ending Muse.”  
  
“W-What?!” Nico exclaimed, gripping Nozomi’s wrist in front of her stomach. “Don’t be stupid. Muse will continue, with more girls. It doesn’t matter if we’re not there.”  
  
“I-I kind of don’t want that.” Nozomi admitted softly. “Muse was my miracle. And now it’s ruined…” She paused as Nico turned to face her. “Nicocchi, can I ask you something? Promise you’ll tell the truth?”  
  
“Okay, I promise.” Nico whispered anxiously. “What is it?”  
  
“You don’t hate Maki-chan, do you? And you weren’t mad at her for hurting me.” Nozomi noticed a flicker of outrage on Nico’s face and clamped a hand over the girl’s mouth to silence her. “At least not just for hurting me. You miss her, don’t you? Muse isn’t the same without her.”  
  
Nico glared silently.   
  
“You always used to gravitate toward her. I had Elichi, Honoka-chan had Umi-chan and Kotori-chan, Hanayo-chan had Rin-chan and you had Maki-chan. We all had someone. And now it’s all screwed up. But it’s true, isn’t it? You miss her. And you want to hurt her because you’re hurting. It hurts that you pushed her out of Muse and it hurts that you can’t speak to h-” She paused as tears suddenly welled in Nico’s eyes. Quickly, she took her hand away.   
  
“I want to hate her. I don’t want to miss her. If I miss her I’m betraying you but…I miss her so much. Fuck!” She swiped angrily at the tears in her eyes. “No, I can still hate her. She doesn’t have to know. She…” She trailed off as Nozomi pulled her close to her. “Nozomi, don’t…” She struggled to get away but Nozomi held tight. “Damn it! Damn it…”  
  
Nozomi tightened her grip on Nico when the girl broke into heartbroken sobs.  She hated seeing Nico cry but the fact that Nico only ever showed her true emotions around her made her feel like she was somehow special to her. “I miss her too. We need her back.”  
  
—  
  
“I think you left a mark.” Eli mumbled tiredly as Maki curled up against her, her head on her chest beneath her chin. Red hair tickled her nose and she blew gently against it. “You were different this time.”   
  
Maki blushed. She knew she’d been a bit wilder than usual. “I-I guess I just…wanted to…make you feel good.”  
  
“And…?”  
  
“A-And mark you.” Maki answered in embarrassment. “I just want you to know you’re mine. And everyone else to. Especially when you’re changing for gym…”  
  
Eli smiled smugly. “You’re so cute Maki.” She wrapped her arms around the younger girl, closing her eyes. They fell silent for a few long moments before Eli spoke up. “Hey, why aren’t you angry with me? For kissing Nozomi back?”  
  
Maki shrugged her shoulders. “I guess I expected it in a way. I didn’t think you’d put me first. I was afraid though, when you didn’t call. I thought it meant you were…sleeping with her. I know I have no right but the thought of someone else touching you…I can’t bear it. Even though I thought I was just a fling to you…that’s why I was so happy when you called me your girlfriend…”  
  
Eli pulled Maki close and kissed her again. “You are my girlfriend. And I’m sorry I hurt you tonight. I know I did. I’m so sorry. I don’t like the idea of you with anyone else either.”  
  
“I-It’s never going to happen. I only want you…”  
  
“Not even Nico?” Eli asked apprehensively. She continued quickly when Maki looked up at her in surprise. “It’s just…I’ve been thinking about it lately because of my feelings for Nozomi and when we first kissed you said that you were in love with Nico, right?”  
  
“Not anymore. If I was…I don’t think I could be after what she did to you.” Maki answered with a shake of her head. “I still care about her and it hurts that she hates me but I don’t have feelings for her. You’re the only one.”  
  
Eli smiled faintly and kissed Maki’s forehead. “I’m sorry I can’t say the same. All I can say is that I love you. I really do. And I’ve…made my choice. I told Nozomi that too.”  
  
Maki sighed contentedly and leaned up to press her lips to Eli’s, allowing herself to linger for a long moment. “I love you.” She whispered against Eli’s lips, her chest tight with emotion. It had never crossed her mind that Eli would actively choose her. She’d always thought that the blonde would go back to Nozomi eventually.   
  
Eli grinned and kissed Maki back, pushing her onto her back. She crawled atop her, intentionally allowing every inch of her bare body to brush against the redhead’s as she did so. She felt somewhat smug when she heard Maki’s breath hitch. “How about round two?”  
  
Maki stared up at Eli, her lip trapped briefly between her teeth. “I don’t know if I can keep my voice down…”  
  
Eli smirked. “I like your voice. Especially when you’re moaning my name.” She leaned down, kissing Maki’s neck. “I really love hearing you…”  
  
“B-But your sister…”  
  
“Who knows? Maybe she’ll just thinks you’re singing.” Eli snickered against soft skin. She bit down on Maki’s pulsepoint. “Just lie back and relax, okay? The door is locked…”  
  
“Y-You don’t have a lock on your door.” Maki stuttered as Eli’s lips trailed down to her chest. “Eli…”  
  
“I pushed the dresser in front of it.” Eli muttered. She sucked sharply on the skin under her lips and Maki’s hips bucked up into hers. “Already in the mood, huh?” She slid her other hand up, cupping Maki’s other breast in her hand.   
  
“Fuck Eli…” Maki hissed, her legs going around Eli’s waist to pull her flush against her.   
  
Eli sucked in a sharp breath. “Did Lady Maki just curse?” She teased in amusement.   
  
“Get used to it.” Maki mumbled, her fingers threading into soft blonde hair. “I’m not holding my tongue back anymore.”  
  
“Well I guess you could say I’m not holding mine back anyway.” Eli chuckled under her breath and slid under the covers, wriggling her way down the bed.   
  
“Huh…?” Maki asked, confused for a moment before she felt Eli pushed her legs apart. Her eyes widened when the next thing she felt was something slick against her. “Eli!” She briefly thought about how she could get Eli back but then the tongue that had pressed against her was moving and all other thoughts left her mind.   
  
—  
  
“Are you ready, Umi-chan?”   
  
“Hmm?” Umi looked over her shoulder and smiled softly when she found Honoka standing behind her. “Oh um, I’ll be a few minutes. You can go on ahead without me if you want. I just need to finish changing.”  
  
“Are you sure?” Honoka asked, stepping forward to the bench. “I can just sit and wait if you want me to. We can walk up together.”  
  
Kotori glanced at the two of them out of the corner of her eye. Before it had just been Honoka not speaking to her but now it seemed Umi wasn’t really speaking to her either. Or she was speaking to her but her tone was sharper than usual.   
  
“Honoka!” Umi laughed at Honoka’s insistence. “I can walk up by myself. I won’t be long. Just go.” She gripped Honoka’s shoulders and turned her around, pushing her toward the door. She knew why Honoka wanted to stay. She wanted to make sure Kotori didn’t say anything that upset her again. When they’d gone back to her house that day after Kotori had made her accusations, Umi was embarrassed to recall that she’d shed a few tears. A fair few. Honoka just wanted to make sure it didn’t happen again.   
  
“Honoka-chan hasn’t spoken to me since Friday.” Kotori said accusingly when Honoka was out of earshot. “Did you say something to her?!”  
  
Umi sighed heavily. “Kotori, it’s not my business. And I don’t want to have this discussion with you again!” She turned to Kotori, irritation clear in her eyes. “I-I’m…I’m not sleeping with Honoka, okay?! I’m not!”  
  
Kotori’s brow furrowed in confusion. “I-I didn’t accuse you of s-sleeping with her! I said you’re in love with her, not…ARE you?!”  
  
“NO! Kotori, please just stop. Of course I’m not!” Umi shrank back, her back hitting her locker as Kotori walked toward her. “Kotori, I don’t love her like that. I’ve told you, I don’t!”  
  
Kotori’s gaze slipped down as Umi’s half open shirt parted, a necklace spilling out. “…What’s that?”  
  
“It’s nothing, it’s a gift from my mother!” Umi clamped her hand over her necklace.   
  
“That looks like a lover’s ring. Why would you wear it as a necklace? Does Honoka-chan have the other?”  
  
“I-It’s a style!” Umi retorted loudly. “Just leave it alone! I-I’m tired of telling you, Honoka loves you and only you so stop accusing me! It’s not fair!” She closed her hand around her necklace, staring at Kotori through wide eyes. “You’re acting crazy. You should trust me. You should trust her most of all!”  
  
“Umi-chan…”  
  
“Just leave me alone.” Umi grabbed her track jacket from her locker and turned to walk away only for Kotori to grab her wrist and pull her back to her.   
  
“How can I, with the way she looks at you?!”  
  
“Kotori, stop it! You’re hurting me!”  
  
“What’s going on?”   
  
Umi turned to the doorway, finding Eli standing there. “Eli…”  
  
“Kotori?” Eli questioned purposefully, her gaze going to the hand clutching Umi’s wrist. “Maybe you shouldn’t be doing that.”  
  
Kotori quickly pulled her hand away. She hadn’t meant to hurt Umi at all and she was appalled that she had. “This is your fault!” She told Eli before she hurried past her.   
  
Eli frowned after Kotori before she turned back to Umi. “What the hell was that about? Where’s…” She paused when she noticed that Umi looked near tears. “Hey…”  
  
“I keep telling her.” Umi said tearfully. “I keep telling her she’s wrong but she won’t listen! I don’t know what to do, I…” She fell silent as Eli stepped close enough to wrap her arms around her. She pressed her face into the blonde’s shoulder and hugged her back as tightly as she could. 


	16. Chapter 16

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Warning(s): Cheating, sexual scenes etc.

Nozomi was sure that she would find Eli and Maki on the roof. She knew from watching them and running into them on the odd occasion that it was where they liked to spend their lunchtimes now. It was quiet up there, away from all of the gossip circulating the school.   
  
“Do we really have to do this?” Nico muttered as she followed Nozomi up the stairs to the roof. “I said I don’t hate her, that doesn’t mean I want to make up with her!”  
  
“We’ve talked about this, Nicocchi.” Nozomi said with a roll of her eyes. “It won’t take long so let’s just keep going. And please don’t say anything mean.”  
  
Nico scoffed. “I can’t promise that. But…” She was about to protest again when they reached the top of the stairs and Nozomi pushed the door to the roof open. They stepped out and blinked rapidly against the sunlight. 

Across the roof, Eli had been leaning against the railings. Maki was next to her, facing away from the door whereas the blonde was facing them directly. As soon as she spotted Nico she quickly stepped in front of Maki. “Nico, if you came here for a fight…”  
  
“Wouldn’t be much of a fight. Do I need to remind you of the last time I almost knocked you out?” Nico retorted angrily.   
  
Maki turned around, both relieved and worried to find that Eli was shielding her. “Eli…”  
  
“We didn’t come to fight. We just came to talk.” Nozomi met Maki’s gaze over Eli’s shoulder. “Maki-chan? Can I speak to you for a minute? Nicocchi won’t do anything. I won’t let her.”  
  
“Alright?” Maki gently nudged Eli out of the way. “Eli, it’s fine. You’ll be right here.”  
  
Finally Eli moved and Nozomi and Maki were left facing each other directly, with nothing between them.  
  
“I have something for you.” Nozomi fished something out of her pocket and handed it to Maki. “Um…I put it back together.”  
  
Maki looked down at the paper. It had been torn and it was stuck together with tape but she recognized what it was right away. A page from her notebook. “My lyrics…”  
  
“I found them in the bathroom that day.” Nozomi confessed quietly. “I collected the parts and put them back together. I read some of them and they seemed important so I didn’t want you to lose them.”  
  
Maki clasped the lyrics to her chest. “T-Thank you, Nozomi. It means a lot to me. Really, I-I’m…thank you.”  
  
Nozomi forced a smile to her lips. “There’s one more thing. I…” She paused, glancing at Eli who met her gaze, a soft look in her eyes. “I want you to come back to Muse. It’s not the same without all of us. And we need you.”  
  
“Really?” Maki sounded surprised and hopeful at the same time. “B-But…are you sure? You don’t have to feel bad for me, I know what I did was unforgivable a-and I understand you hating me.”  
  
“I don’t hate you.” Nozomi interrupted quickly, looking away. “Nobody does.”  
  
“Nico clearly does.” Maki said quietly. The third year, who had been quiet so far, growled under her breath and Maki flinched back slightly.   
  
“Nicocchi.” Nozomi narrowed her eyes at Nico. “Tell the truth.”  
  
Nico huffed out a sigh. She hated that she had to do this. She wasn’t ready. “Fine. I don’t hate you, I hate what you did. I hate that you hurt my best friend. I may not be hers but she’s mi-”  
  
“No, you are.” Nozomi interrupted with a shake of her head. She felt both guilty and satisfied at seeing Eli wince out of the corner of her eye. At least the blonde still cared somewhat.   
  
Nico blushed. “Anyway, as I said, I don’t hate you. I hate that you hurt her. That you both hurt her. But especially you. I thought I knew you better than that but I guess I was wrong.”  
  
“I’m sorry.” Maki said, her eyes suddenly damp. “I didn’t mean to hurt anyone.” She looked directly at Nozomi who looked like she was torn between meeting her gaze and looking away. “I’m so sorry, Nozomi.”  
  
“I’m not sure if I can forgive you.” Nozomi admitted hesitantly. She crossed her arms in front of her chest and glanced away, to the far side of the roof. “But I’m going to…try, I guess.”  
  
“Nozomi…” Maki covered her mouth with her hand, a choked sob escaping her. “I-I’m…I’m so sorry. I don’t deserve…”  
  
Nozomi gritted her teeth, torn between the anger and betrayal she still felt toward Maki and the need to reassure her. “We both made mistakes. I’m sorry I slapped you in the club room. I didn’t…” Her voice cracked and she felt Nico gently grasp her wrist. She was grateful for the support.   
  
If anything Nozomi’s words only made Maki feel worse. “I deserved more than that after what I did. I don’t deserve your friendship o-or anything from you. I-I hate myself so much for hurting you. If I were you I would have let those girls beat me up. Y-you should hate me.”  
  
“Don’t say that.” Nozomi drew away from Nico and stepped forward, grasping Maki’s arm.  
  
Maki flinched, not quite trusting Nozomi’s attempts at reconciliation but when the girl merely pulled her into a fierce embrace she hugged her back just as tightly. “I’m so sorry. I’m so so sorry, Nozomi…”  
  
Eli watched from the side, a bit emotional herself. She wanted to say that she was sorry too but this was between Maki and Nozomi. She knew that.  
  
“I know.” Nozomi slowly pulled away. “Just say you’ll come back to Muse. We need you.”  
  
Maki nodded, unable to speak past the lump in her throat.   
  
Nozomi seemed to understand what she was saying and released her. She turned to Eli only to find the blonde striding toward her. A moment later familiar arms were around her and Eli was hugging her tightly. Against her better judgement, Nozomi returned the embrace, her eyes closing as she buried her nose in Eli’s shoulder.   
  
“Thank you.” Eli whispered gratefully, lingering for a moment before she pulled away. She pulled her crying girlfriend to her and kissed her forehead gently.   
  
Nozomi winced at that and stepped back. “Let’s go.” She said to a scowling Nico. With one last glance at Eli and Maki she followed Nico back to the door they’d walked through a few minutes ago. As soon as the door closed she turned to Nico who was still scowling.   
  
“What’s wrong?” Nozomi asked, quickly wiping at her eyes. “You don’t look happy.”  
  
“Nothing.” Nico crossed her arms in front of her chest. “It’s just…I get that you’re trying to forgive them but you didn’t have to hug them. Maki’s right. They don’t deserve anything from you.”  
  
“Is Nicocchi jealous?” Nozomi teased, looping an arm around Nico’s shoulders as they started off down the stairs. “Don’t worry, you’re still my favourite.”  
  
“Liar.” Nico grumbled in annoyance. “Like you’re not still head over heels for Eli. You’re not seriously giving up, are you?”  
  
Nozomi hesitated for a moment before she sighed and shrugged her shoulders. “I’m tired of fighting it. She loves Maki-chan.”  
  
“Well then she’s an idiot and she’ll come to her senses at some point and realize that you’re better!” Nico insisted, stopping on the second to last step and turning to Nozomi. “That moron isn’t going to find anyone as good as you!”  
  
“She chose her, Nicocchi. She’s chosen her at every opportunity. I’m done, okay?” Nozomi bit her lip for a moment, feeling tears prickle at her eyes. “I’m too tired to keep fighting and she looks happy.”  
  
“Well I’m not letting you give up!” Nico  exclaimed loudly, anger seeping into her words. “I’m going to make sure you’re happy, I don’t care what the hell it takes!”   
  
“I’m miserable like this. I just want to move on. Just like Elichi…”  
  
“You still love her, how can you move on?!” Nico insisted loudly. “I hate this. You’re just giving into them. You shouldn’t even be trying to forgive those idiots! They don’t deserve you. Well I’m not going to be forgiving them any time soon. I’m going to give them both hell. If they think they can just do this and have you forgive them because they cried a bit they’re stupider than I thought. And they haven’t seen this side of Nico Nii, I-”  
  
“I love you.”  
  
“Eh?!” Nico’s eyes widened in surprise at the simple statement.   
  
Nozomi gave an unabashed shrug. “You really are my best friend and…I love you. I love that you’re always there for me and I don’t have to ask if you love me back. I can hear it in the way you talk to me and see it in the way you act.” To her surprise she found herself blushing as Nico stared up at her. “Just keep being my best friend, Nicocchi. That’s all I need.”  
  
Nico stared at Nozomi for a moment before she slowly shook her head. “I am. Which is why I’m going to help you get that idiot back no matter what you say. I’ve told you what we’ll do. I’ll pretend to be your girlfriend and we’ll show her what she’s missing.”  
  
“Nicocchi…” Nozomi sighed wearily. It was like Nico wasn’t even listening to her. Despite her irritation she gave a meek shrug. At least if she went along with Nico’s plan she wouldn’t be alone. At least for a little while she would have someone. “Whatever you want.”  
  
Nico smiled triumphantly and nodded her head before she continued down the stairs.   
  
—-  
  
Kotori cast an annoyed looked at Honoka’s gym locker. For some reason Honoka had been earlier to practice than the rest of them and she’d been leaving just as Kotori walked in. Umi had still been there though, a small smile on her face as she looked after Honoka. It had disappeared when she’d noticed Kotori’s presence.   
  
“Is Honoka-chan avoiding me?” Kotori answered sharply as she began to change.   
  
“I don’t know. Maybe.” Umi answered without looking toward her. “I wouldn’t blame her if she was avoiding you. Would you?”  
  
Kotori ground her teeth together as she pulled on her shirt. She noticed Umi move to do the same and glanced over at her, catching a glimpse of the necklace hanging around her neck. “You didn’t tell her about what happened the other day, did you?”  
  
“No.” Umi answered, averting her eyes. She’d asked Eli not to say anything either. She’d told Honoka that she had argued with Kotori but not that Kotori had grabbed her. There was no way Honoka would have stayed quiet about that.   
  
“Good.” Kotori muttered, almost turning back to her locker until she noticed Umi’s hand close around the necklace. She scoffed and turned away in disgust. “You said yesterday that you’re having sex with her. Is…?”  
  
“You said that.” Umi interrupted with a shake of her head as she pulled her shirt on. “I thought that’s what you meant. When I said that I wasn’t confessing to anything. I have nothing to confess to.”  
  
“You told me you have feelings for her though. Are you saying you don’t now?” Kotori asked accusingly.   
  
Umi hesitated for a moment. “Kotori, look…you can’t keep accusing us like this. If you keep treating Honoka…and me like this you’re going to lose her. She loves you. Why can’t you just accept that? If I had someone who…” She paused, biting her lower lip. She felt nothing but lonely, watching the two of them together. “Forget about it.”  
  
With a shake of her head she turned and left the locker room without so much as closing her locker door.   
  
Kotori heaved an irritated sigh. She wished she could just ignore all of the signs but they were too obvious for her to have a peace of mind.   
  
Honoka’s locker was open too, she noticed curiously. Honoka must have been in a hurry when she left. Almost unconsciously Kotori walked toward it, opening the door just a little bit. Inside was Honoka’s blazer, just sitting there and she couldn’t resist the urge to reach out for it. If she didn’t find anything in the pockets she might feel better, she told herself as she began to go through the pockets in question. Maybe there would be no ring.   
  
“What the hell are you doing?”  
  
Kotori looked up to find that Umi had returned. She opened her mouth to say something but Umi was moving quickly toward her and then the blazer was wrenched from her hands.   
  
Kotori looked at the blazer, noticing what looked like a chain hanging from the inside pocket. It looked remarkably like Umi’s. “I um…”  
  
“What?” Umi hugged the blazer close to her chest and stared accusingly. “What were you doing? This is getting RIDICULOUS, Kotori!”  
  
Outrage flashed across Kotori’s face. “Well if you weren’t scr-”  
  
“What’s going on in here?” Eli’s voice cut them both off and they looked toward the doorway, finding her standing there with Maki at her side. “Are you two fighting again?”  
  
Kotori glared at Eli and Maki. “It’s none of your business. This is between me and Umi-chan.”  
  
“It is my business when you’re both late for practice because you’re too busy arguing.” Eli stepped further into the room, closely followed by Maki. “I don’t know what’s going on here but you should get up to the roof. The others are waiting.”  
  
Kotori huffed in annoyance but did as she was asked, stomping out of the room.   
  
“Not you, Umi.” Eli said when Umi started to follow. “You should probably put that back anyway.”  
  
“Oh, right.” Umi put Honoka’s blazer back into the girl’s locker and sank down onto the nearest bench, sighing heavily. “I hate this…”  
  
Maki walked over to Umi and sympathetically rubbed her back. “It’s going to be okay.”  
  
Umi nodded, taking a deep breath to calm herself. “I’m sorry. I’ll go up to the roof now.”  
  
Eli and Maki shared a look.   
  
“Don’t worry about it.” Eli said quietly, taking a seat next to the trembling second year. “Just stay with us for a while. You don’t want to say anything you don’t mean, right? You seemed pretty angry before.”  
  
“I am.” Umi admitted quietly, looking down at her lap. “I’m really angry. I’m angry that this is hurting Honoka. And I’m angry that Kotori thinks I’d…” She trailed off, shaking her head. “She’s so paranoid she can’t see sense.”  
  
—  
  
“I’m guessing this isn’t because Maki’s back in Muse?” Nico muttered as she watched Honoka and Kotori bickering. They had been since Kotori had come up to the roof and there didn’t seem to be an end to it.   
  
Nozomi silently shook her head. “You heard what Kotori-chan said. It’s about Umi-chan…”  
  
“Hmm? You don’t think…”  
  
“Shhh!”  
  
“You know, maybe we should just take a break if you’re going to be like this all of the time!” Honoka snapped loudly.   
  
Kotori stomped her foot, clearly frustrated. “IT’S LIKE WE’RE ALREADY TAKING A BREAK, HONOKA-CHAN! All you do is spend your time with Umi-chan.”  
  
“I’m tired of you accusing me of things, Kotori-chan! It’s not fair! And you’re not just hurting me, you’re hurting Umi-chan too!” Honoka exclaimed angrily, her hands clenched into fists. “It’s not fair. She hasn’t done anything wrong!”  
  
“Well you’re both hurting me!” Kotori retorted, her voice growing thick with emotion. “I just want you to be honest! Do you love her or not?!”  
  
“She’s my best friend, of course I love her!” Honoka answered irritably. “But it’s not the way you think. She’s my best friend and she’s always there for me. That doesn’t mean I want to sleep with her!”  
  
“But you had feelings for her, didn’t you?” Kotori accused, crossing her arms in front of her chest. “And you kissed her. She told me that!”  
  
“S-She kissed ME!” Honoka argued though her tone was suddenly meeker. “It doesn’t even matter. It was before we got together so I haven’t done anything wrong!”  
  
“Why are you blushing?” Kotori asked pointedly. “And I saw the necklace in your pocket!”  
  
“Damn it, Kotori-chan! I didn’t have sex with Umi-chan!”  
  
“I didn’t say…DID YOU?!”  
  
Nico groaned and turned away. “Fuck, not another one…”  
  
“I don’t think it’s like that.” Nozomi murmured, noticing the crushed look on Honoka’s face.   
  
“I don’t want to talk about this anymore. I think we should take a break from us.” Honoka’s voice was soft, her eyes laced with tears. “I’m not doing anything wrong. I’m not but you just don’t believe me. If you don’t trust me I don’t want to do this anymore. I’m sorry.”  
  
Nozomi watched with wide eyes. “Is she breaking up with her…?” Her heart wrenched with sympathy for Kotori.  
  
Nico frowned as she watched Honoka, noticing the look of loss in her face. She was slightly confused about the way Honoka was acting.   
  
The fight seemed to leave Kotori immediately. “Honoka-chan, no…wait…”  
  
“I need some time on my own. To think.” Were Honoka’s parting words before she left the roof, closing the door behind her.   
  
—  
  
“Mmhm.” Eli hummed in response as she listened to Honoka talking on the phone. “That’s great, Honoka. I guess it’s a good thing that you get to spend more time with Umi now at least.”  
  
She leaned up on one arm, her gaze flitting across the room to Maki who was sitting at the desk with her headphones on. The redhead was drumming her fingers against the desk, like she was practicing her music on the piano or something. The headphones she was wearing were plugged into the laptop next to her and every now and then she paused to write something on the piece of paper lying next to her. For a moment Eli was distracted as she watched Maki using a composing software she didn’t recognize. It took her by surprise as she watched Maki work with the software. She had’t known the girl was so good with technology.   
  
She was broken from her thoughts when Honoka began calling her name. “Huh? Yeah, I’m still here. I just got distracted. It’s not like that. I’m not saying it wasn’t Maki but…I have to go. Good luck, Honoka.”  
  
She hung up the phone and tossed it down onto the bed next to her before she stood up and crossed the room to her. She leaned down, wrapping her arms around her neck and grinned when Maki yelped in surprise.   
  
“It’s just me.” She laughed softly as Maki reached up to push her headphones down. “I thought you could use a break.”  
  
She tilted her head, pressing her lips to the skin behind Maki’s ear.   
  
“Uh…” Maki paused, finding it hard to focus. “I was just working on something. How long has it been?”  
  
“Well I’ve already showered and called Honoka so it’s been a while. You seemed so into what you were doing I didn’t want to disturb you.” Eli pressed closer to Maki, closing her eyes and breathed in slowly.   
  
“W-Well I guess I just wanted to get some composing done. Love Live is coming and I don’t want to let any of you guys down. Being let back into Muse is a…second chance. One Nozomi didn’t have to give me and I didn’t really deserve so I guess I just…want to do my best, that’s all.”  
  
Eli held onto Maki tighter, a small smile tugging at her lips. “You’ll do great. I know you will.” She kissed the top of her head and looked over at the screen. “I can’t believe you understand this stuff.”  
  
“What?” Maki frowned. “It’s easy. A toddler could learn this stuff.”  
  
Eli snorted. “Thanks, Maki.”  
  
“I didn’t mean…” Maki looked up quickly but relaxed when she found that Eli was smiling. “Maybe I could teach you sometime…?”  
  
“I don’t even know where we would start. I don’t understand any of this.” Eli said quietly, her eyes still on the screen of the laptop. “I think I’ll stick with watching you do it.”  
  
“Okay. Not right now though.” Maki tilted her head back and Eli got the hint to lean down and gently peck her lips.  
  
For the first time, Maki noticed Eli was wearing her hair down as it fell around their faces. “You smell nice.” She whispered against Eli’s lips. “Like vanilla.”  
  
“I just showered.” Eli explained softly. She pulled away, releasing Maki from her hold.   
  
Maki turned her chair and grasped Eli’s hand, tugging her forward until the blonde tumbled into her lap. She brushed her lips gently against Eli’s before lightly nipping her lower lip.   
  
“Will you stay over?” Eli asked somewhat breathlessly as she brushed her tongue over her lip.   
  
Maki grinned. “Only if you let me top you.”  
  
Eli trailed her fingers over Maki’s neck and down to her chest. “It doesn’t count if I just let you. You’ll have to make me.”  
  
“Fine.” Maki looked strangely smug as she eased Eli off her lap and stood up. She grasped her around the waist and pulled her flush against her. “Then I’ll make you.”  
  
—  
  
Honoka carefully gripped Umi’s wrist, drawing the girl’s arm from around her waist. As slowly as she could, she slid off the bed and cast a nervous glance back at her best friend. After hearing what had happened with Kotori, Umi had stayed over the previous night, saying that she didn’t want Honoka to be alone. Honoka appreciated it really but she couldn’t help but think she was annoying Umi somewhat.   
  
With a final glance at Umi, who had rolled onto her front, burying her face in Honoka’s pillow, Honoka grabbed her phone and left the room in her pyjamas. She padded to the kitchen, looking through her contacts until she found a familiar number. She pressed call and lifted the phone to her ear, listening to the dial tone.   
  
Finally, the phone was answered.   
  
“Hello?” Eli spoke groggily, clearly having just woken up. “Do you have any idea what time it is?”  
  
“It’s six in the morning.” Honoka answered cheerfully. She’d already been awake for almost an hour, listening to the sound of Umi’s breathing as she reflected on her situation with Kotori. “Do you have time to talk?”  
  
“Ugh.” Eli seemed to groan into the phone. “There’s only one person I want to be woken up by at six  in the morning and it isn’t you, Honoka. No, I don’t have time to talk. I’m going back to bed.”  
  
“Wait, wait!” Honoka exclaimed quickly. “Please, Eli-senpai? I promise it won’t be long, I just want to talk to you about something important. Please?”  
  
Eli sighed loudly. “Fine, I guess. What’s going on? Why are you even awake right now?”  
  
“I was thinking.” Honoka said quietly, taking a seat at the kitchen table. “You heard that Kotori-chan and I are…taking a break, right?”  
  
“Who the hell is that?”  
  
Honoka vaguely heard the muffled voice on the other end of the line. It wasn’t Eli. “Is that Maki-chan? You’re spending the night with Maki-chan?”  
  
“Clearly.” Eli answered dryly. “What did you need? You know how cranky Maki gets when she’s tired.”  
  
“Like yourself.”  
  
“Honoka.” Eli warned firmly. Her patience was already wearing thin, simply because it was five in the morning. “Just talk. Please.”  
  
“Fine…” Honoka mumbled. “I’m going to take Umi-chan out. On a date. I’m thinking about it anyway. I’m not with Kotori-chan now so it’s fine, right? I just want to thank Umi-chan and…I guess apologize. For how Kotori-chan has been acting. I know it must have hurt her too.”  
  
“Won’t going on a date with Umi mean Kotori will think she’s right?” Eli asked expectantly. Silence greeted her from Honoka. “Honoka? Did you fall asleep? Honoka…?”  
  
“No, I’m…I’m still here.” Honoka answered softly. “You know it’s a little bit true, right? I mean…I had feelings for Umi-chan before Kotori-chan.”  
  
“Yeah.” Eli answered quietly. “Yeah, I know. Kotori told me when we talked about this. And I overheard her with Umi. But you don’t want Kotori to think you’re dating Umi, right?”  
  
“Right.” Honoka whispered, clutching the phone closer. She felt cold suddenly, sitting in the kitchen by herself. “Wait…did you say Kotori-chan knew I liked Umi-chan back then?”  
  
“Yeah, that’s what she said.”   
  
Honoka gritted her teeth and closed her eyes. She hadn’t told Kotori that but it made sense now. It made sense that Kotori would have her suspicions. “Right. I-I’m sorry I woke you.”  
  
“No, I’m sorry I was cranky.” Eli replied, guilt lacing her tone. “You’ve been there for me and Maki since this crap started. The least I can do is be there for you too. We’re friends so…you can call me whenever you like.”  
  
“Thank you, Eli-senpai. Goodnight.” Honoka waited for Eli to echo her goodnight before she hung up. She inhaled slowly and stood from her seat. She suddenly just wanted to get back to bed. She went back through to the bedroom and slid into the warm bed next to Umi. She sighed blissfully as warmth washed over her chilled body. She realized with a start that she had left her phone on the kitchen table and whimpered at the idea of having to get back up. She started to sit up only for Umi’s arm to slide around her waist. The girl in question pressed close to her and Honoka’s breath caught.   
  
“Don’t go anywhere.” Umi murmured, her voice slightly slurred with tiredness. “It’s too early…”  
  
Honoka couldn’t keep herself from leaning in, gently pressing her lips to Umi’s. She lingered for a moment before she slowly eased back. She watched as a blush spread across Umi’s cheeks.   
  
“I’m dreaming…” Umi whispered, a slight smile tugging at her lips.   
  
“Yeah.” Honoka gently brushed her fingers against Umi’s cheek. She pressed their lips fleetingly together once more, closing her eyes tightly against the ache in her chest. Kotori had known how she had felt and she’d never even brought it up. She hadn’t said anything. She certainly hadn’t tried to help her.   
  
“I love you…” Umi breathed out, her eyes still closed.   
  
“I love you too, Umi-chan.” Honoka whispered, the corners of her eyes stinging. Her throat felt tight suddenly and she let out a shuddering breath, pressing her face into Umi’s chest. She felt a hand come up to gently stroke her hair.   
  
“Kiss me again.” Umi said softly, trying to ignore the guilt she felt. Kotori and Honoka were on a break, she reminded herself. A moment later Honoka’s lips were against hers though and she wrapped her arms around her, kissing her back. When Honoka finally eased back and lay back down, Umi moved with her, draping herself over her. Her head found it’s way to Honoka’s chest as her best friend wrapped her arms around her. Being close to Honoka’s chest, she felt her take a slow breath. “Am I too heavy…?”  
  
“You’re perfect.” Honoka whispered, tightening her hold on Umi. “Don’t you dare move.”  
  
Umi smiled warmly and pressed herself closer to Honoka’s warmth.   
  
Honoka stared at the ceiling, Umi’s weight against her both comforting and a painful reminder of what she couldn’t really have. “I want you, Umi-chan…”  
  
“You have me. Our necklaces, remember?” Umi mumbled against Honoka’s chest. “That’s what they mean.”  
  
“I mean I want to be with you.” Honoka said, her voice thick with emotion. “So much I feel like it’s killing me sometimes. I just…” She broke off, biting her lip. “I’m sorry.”  
  
Umi gave a slight shake of her head. “We’re going on a date tomorrow, right? You can have me then. Or…now if you want to. This is probably going to be our only chance t-to do it right. Or in a way that’s not completely wrong anyway…”  
  
“It’s not wrong, Umi-chan.” Honoka shifted slightly and Umi drew back to look at her. “Not when we’re together.” She took Umi’s face in her hands and kissed her hard, feeling Umi respond to the kiss without hesitation. Cool hands slid under her shirt and she shuddered, drawing away from the kiss with a soft gasp.   
  
“I love you.” Umi murmured again, meeting Honoka’s eyes. “I love you so much.”  
  
“I love you too.” Honoka gently lifted the ring that was hanging on a chain around Umi’s neck and kissed it before she let go to pull the blankets over them.   
  
—  
  
Nico was just about to get dress to leave for Nozomi’s house when the doorbell rang. She answered the door and to her surprise found Nozomi herself standing there. “You’re here. At my house. Why?”  
  
Nozomi laughed at Nico’s suspicion. “Good morning to you too, Nicocchi. I have a surprise for you.”  
  
Nico scowled. “I hate surprises.”  
  
“Well you’ll like this one. You get to spend the entire day with me!” Nozomi exclaimed cheerfully.   
  
“I spend practically every day with you anyway.” Nico said with a roll of her eyes. “So that’s nothing new. Or surprising.”  
  
“You really are charming when you’re grumpy.” Nozomi smirked, stepping closer to Nico. “Maybe a kiss would cheer you up?”  
  
Nico blushed at the insinuation. “Of course it wouldn’t. Save it for school, remember? We’re doing this to get you back with the dumb blonde.”  
  
Nozomi rolled her eyes and reached out to grab Nico’s shirt, pulling her into a deep kiss. Her hands slid into the girl’s hair and she pressed her further inside the house, pushing her against the wall next to the door. “Nah.” She muttered when she pulled away. “I really wanted to do that in private, Nicocchi.”  
  
Nico blinked at Nozomi in surprise, a bit dazed by the kiss. “Y-You did?”  
  
“And I think you did too.” Nozomi teasingly brushed her lips against Nico’s neck. “I think you like me, Nicocchi…”  
  
Nico groaned and gently pushed Nozomi away. “Save it for school, Nozomi. There’s nobody here to see.”  
  
Nozomi frowned and shoved her hands into her pockets. “You might be just as dense as Elichi…”  
  
“Eeh?!” Nico exclaimed in outrage. “What’s that supposed to mean?!”  
  
Nozomi smiled mysteriously and shook her head. “Nothing at all. We can still do this when we’re alone, can’t we?”  
  
“I-I guess. If you want to. Because you’re lonely, right?” Nico crossed her arms and tried to look unfazed. “As long as you don’t fall for the cute and charming Nico Nico Nii.”  
  
Nozomi grinned as Nico used her signature pose. “You forgot sexy.”   
  
“Huh? Wait…” Nico blushed bright red at the compliment. “NOZOMI!”  
  
Nozomi grinned and walked further into Nico’s house, swaying her hips exaggeratedly. “Your siblings just left with your mom, right?”  
  
Nico was too busy staring at the way Nozomi’s shorts and tights hugged her hips and her ass. The way her shirt slipped down one shoulder to reveal her bra strap. “Huh? Ah, right. Right.”  
  
She quickly shook her head. Nozomi was testing her. It was obvious but she didn’t understand why. She didn’t understand her at all.   
  
Nozomi smirked and stopped, turning back to Nico. “So are you going to show me to your bedroom or what?”  
  
“Now?!” Nico exclaimed loudly. “You want to do it now?!”  
  
“Sure. If you think you can handle it.” Nozomi said with a smirk.  
  
“Uh…” Nico reached up and touched the mark on her neck.   
  
“I’ll even let you touch me this time.” Nozomi offered, planting her hands on her hips.  
  
“T-Touch you…” Nico’s hand twitched at her side, her gaze straying to Nozomi’s chest. She looked down at herself a moment later and frowned. Unlike Nozomi she wasn’t at all dressed for the occasion. She was dressed in running shorts and a white tee, on top of which she was wearing her striped hoodie. Even her hair was just held up in a messy bun. “Now?”  
  
She looked up, flinching when she noticed Nozomi was suddenly in front of her.   
  
“Now.” Nozomi placed her hands on Nico’s shoulders and kissed her. “Come on, Nicocchi. We have the house to ourselves for an hour, right? We can do whatever we want…”  
  
“I-I guess. We’ll still have to be quiet though.” Nico said meekly though even she knew she couldn’t resist. When Nozomi took her hand and led her to the bedroom she didn’t put up an argument. 


	17. Chapter 17

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Warning for swearing, angst and a bit of violence in this one too!

“Remind me why we’re following Honoka around the school like a pair of stalkers?” Maki requested, her voice a whisper as she followed Eli to the corner of the hallway. “What are we even doing, Eli?”  
  
Eli shushed Maki gently and focused her attention back on Honoka who had finally found Kotori next to her locker. Practice was due to start in thirty minutes so nobody else was there just yet.   
  
“Kotori-chan?” Honoka said quietly, gently touching Kotori’s shoulder. Her girlfriend jumped slightly as she turned to face her. “H-Hey…”  
  
“H-Honoka-chan. I didn’t expect…” Kotori trailed off, biting her lip. Honoka hadn’t spoken to her at all over the past week. “I’m sorry. I’m sorry for everything I said to you, I was just jealous of Umi-chan and…”

“Kotori-chan, stop.” Honoka interrupted sharply. It was good that Kotori was apologizing but at the same time she felt guilty for hearing her do so. “You weren’t completely unjustified with…what you said. I did have feelings for Umi-chan.”

Kotori looked down at her shoes. She had known that. And she had known Umi felt the same way about Honoka, she just hadn’t said anything to them. “Oh.”  
  
“She’s going to do it!” Eli whispered, her hand closing around Maki’s arm. “It’s about time! Come on Honoka, just say it.”  
  
“I want to try again. If you want to.” Honoka continued, causing Eli’s smile to fade. “But I won’t stop being friends with Umi-chan. I love you, Kotori-chan. But Umi-chan would never force me to choose. If you try to force me to, I-I will choose her.”  
  
“You have got to be kidding me, is she-” Eli was cut off as Maki grabbed her hand and dragged her away, down the hallway.   
  
Kotori looked up, her eyes laced with tears. It hurt to hear Honoka say that but she knew she was lucky to be given a second chance. “I understand.” She sniffled softly and wiped at her eyes. “I-I have to get going to class. I’ll see you at practice, Honoka-chan.”  
  
Honoka’s stomach sank as Kotori made to walk past her. It hurt her, just how upset Kotori looked. “Kotori-chan, wait.” She grabbed Kotori’s hand, gently drawing her to a stop. “I’m sorry. I didn’t want to upset you.”  
  
“You didn’t upset me. I’m not upset. I’m happy that we’re together again.” Kotori smiled softly and reached up to gently caress Honoka’s cheek. “I’ve missed you.”  
  
“I miss you too.” Honoka leaned into Kotori’s touch and closed her eyes. She wished she could go back to before Kotori’s confession, when she had both Umi and Kotori as her friends and everything wasn’t complicated. “I wish we could just go back to how it was before.”  
  
Kotori misunderstood what Honoka was saying. “We will.” She promised quietly.   
  
Honoka nodded happily and gave Kotori a gentle hug. She pressed a kiss to her cheek before drawing back. “Okay, let’s go to class.”  
  
—  
  
Eli watched in curiosity as Nico lay down, her head in Nozomi’s lap. Nozomi was leaning back against the railings, the three of them having decided to go to the roof for lunch.   
  
“I made us lunch so you have to be the one to feed it to me.” Nico declared smugly, noticing a hint of surprise on Nozomi’s face. It was exactly what she wanted. Maybe not from Nozomi though.   
  
“I think this was just an excuse.” Nozomi said with a fond roll of her eyes. It wasn’t like she minded being close to Nico. The opposite was true in fact.   
  
Eli watched the two of them, an awkward smile tugging at her lips as Nozomi did as Nico asked. She wondered if Nico had felt this way before. She must have felt the same need to be close to Nozomi when Nozomi and Eli were dating.   
  
“So how…how is Maki-chan?” Nozomi asked, finally glancing over at Eli. It still felt awkward to ask but she was hopeful that would pass soon enough.   
  
“Ugh.” Nico groaned, rolling her eyes. “Do we really need to talk about her?”  
  
“Nicocchi…” Nozomi warned.  
  
“Um…she’s fine.” Eli answered quietly. “She’s doing alright. Keeping up her grades a-and she’s been teaching me how to use her composing software. I hadn’t realized Maki was so smart, I-I mean really she could be in our grade if she wanted to be. She’s smart enough.”  
  
Nico scoffed and pushed herself up into a sitting position so she could look at Eli “We get it, she’s perfect.”  
  
“Actually, um…she’s not.” Eli said with a shrug of her shoulders. “One of the things I love about her is that she’s absolutely not perfect. She has a lot of odd quirks, like the santa thing.”  
  
“She really is a sheltered girl.” Nozomi mused thoughtfully. She was relieved at least that the thought of Maki didn’t bring as much anger and pain as it once would have.   
  
“I don’t think she’s that sheltered.” Eli disagreed. She split the disposable chopsticks she had brought along to start on her own lunch. “Did you know she used to play basketball?”  
  
Nozomi nodded. “I get what you mean. She’s not as elegant as she wants us to believe she is.”  
  
Eli snickered at the observation. It was true, Maki liked to seem composed and elegant at all times. “Well yeah, she even curses more than Nico. She seriously surprises me all of the time.”  
  
Nico piped up at that. “Not as much as Nozomi surprises me, I bet.”  
  
“Nicocchi!” Nozomi exclaimed, glancing at Nico. She wasn’t sure what the girl was going to say about her but she got the impression it wasn’t good.  
  
“Don’t Nicocchi me.” Nico smirked and gently nudged Nozomi with her foot before she turned her attention back to Eli. “This girl is a mystery. Seriously, there’s so much to uncover…”  
  
“NICO!” Nozomi lifted her hand to her flushed cheek. “Come on…”  
  
Eli smiled at the two of them, biting her lip. She couldn’t help but think about what Nico was finding out. Maybe it was things she didn’t even know about Nozomi.   
  
“Um, so I was wondering…” Eli paused as Nozomi and Nico turned their attention to her. “Well um…I’m really glad you asked me to eat lunch with the two of you. I know I don’t even deserve that and…but well I-I um…”  
  
“Get on with it.” Nico huffed impatiently, earning herself a light elbow to the side from Nozomi.   
  
“I was just wondering…if maybe Maki could join us next time? I-I mean if you don’t mind, Nozomi.” Eli requested sheepishly. She missed the redhead already but when Maki had learned that Nozomi had asked her to eat lunch she had encouraged her to go.   
  
“That’s fine with me, Elichi.” Nozomi said with a small smile. As hurt as she still felt, she didn’t want her friendship with either of them to be ruined forever. “As long as Maki-chan is comfortable.”  
  
“Thank you.” Eli said softly.   
  
Nico gritted her teeth in irritation. That wasn’t how this was meant to be going. “I have to go and do something.” She declared, getting to her feet. She leaned down and kissed Nozomi on the lips. “I’ll see you later.”  
  
Nozomi watched, dumbfounded as Nico picked up her bag and walked away. Nico had obviously kissed her for the sake of Eli seeing it but she was surprised nonetheless.  
  
Eli cleared her throat. She felt a little jealous at seeing Nico kiss Nozomi but not as much as she thought she would be. “So are you two going out or what?”  
  
Nozomi gave a sheepish laugh and rubbed the back of her neck. “It’s complicated. Nicocchi can be really dense sometimes. She’s actually um…just trying to make you jealous.”  
  
Eli raised an eyebrow. “Well I can’t say it didn’t work but…”  
  
“I know, I know.” Nozomi said, shaking her head. “As I was saying, she’s really dense. Dense enough to think I just sleep around with people I don’t care about obviously…”  
  
“So…” Eli moved closer to Nozomi. “How did it happen? This thing with Nico? I know you well enough to know that you’d never sleep with someone unless you have really strong feelings for them so spill.”  
  
“Well…” Nozomi felt strangely embarrassed as she looked down at the ground they were sitting on. “It started out as comfort after you…you know. She started walking me to class, walking me home from school, even coming over to make sure that I ate something. She’d cook for me and try to take my mind off whatever I was thinking about.” She heard Eli hum softly in response and took a breath. “But now there’s…I don’t know how to explain it, there’s just something about her. She’s stubborn and arrogant sometimes but she’s warm, cute, funny and she really does have a heart of gold.”  
  
“You sure we’re talking about the same Nico?” Eli asked, raising a sceptical eyebrow. “I’m sorry, keep going. I want to know…when did you start realizing she was…that?”  
  
“I-I don’t know…maybe when she punched you in the face.” Nozomi flashed Eli a grin to show that she was joking. “Um…I don’t know. There have been so many moments when she’s amazed me. When I was ridiculing myself for not being good enough and she shut my doubts down in seconds. When she stayed over at my house because I was so upset. When I heard you tell Maki-chan that you loved her in the park and all I could do was run and cry, so much I thought I’d make myself sick. She knelt with me on the muddy grass even though she was wearing a skirt and her knees were going to get dirty and she cried right along with me…because I was crying, she said. I think that’s it. I think that’s when I realized.”  
  
Eli smiled softly. “It seems like she’s more than meets the eye.”  
  
“She is.” Nozomi said thoughtfully, glancing down at the half-eaten bento Nico had made for the two of them. She felt guilty at the thought that Nico hadn’t eaten much before she’d run off. “I want Nicocchi. I really do.”  
  
“So why don’t you tell her that?” Eli asked in confusion. “You obviously have feelings for her. And you deserve to be happy so…”  
  
“I don’t know. There’s a few reasons.” Nozomi sighed and leaned her head back against the railings behind her. “She doesn’t think I’m all that attracted to her. In fact she’s fine with me using her…I don’t get it. Besides that, I-I don’t know if I can be with her for real right now. I’m still not close to being over you and I’m not…I’m still not feeling like myself? Nicocchi has helped but it’s like I’m not as confident as I was before, I guess. It took so much time for me to even let her really see me naked. I’m lucky she’s so patient.”  
  
Eli looked pained. “I-I’m sorry. Nozomi, you know it had nothing to do with you, right? Especially not the way you look, you’re…you’re beautiful. I’ve always told you that.”  
  
Nozomi smiled sadly. “It’s just how I feel, Elichi. And I don’t want to get into another relationship too quickly. Nicocchi isn’t my rebound, she’s…so much more. I’ll tell her that when the time is right. It’s going to take some time but Nico won’t leave me. I trust her.”  
  
Eli nodded in response. “What about…us? Do you think we can go back to being best friends?”  
  
“Let’s just take it one lunch at a time.” Nozomi said with a small smile. “Next time you can bring Maki-chan and we’ll talk. For real this time, about…everything. I know Maki-chan has wanted to talk for a while but I’ve always shut her down.”  
  
“She’s worried sick about you.” Eli admitted nervously. She had tried not to talk about Maki too much, worried that Nozomi would leave. “She’s always thought it was her fault. I-I mean I know it is partially but she wants to take my part of the blame too. She’s too selfless for me.”  
  
Nozomi opened her mouth to reply only for the bell to ring. Quickly, she gathered up her things as Eli did the same. “Do you…want to walk to class together?”  
  
Eli’s eyes widened briefly before she nodded. “Y-Yes! I would like that.”  
  
—  
  
Umi had just stepped out of the student council room with Honoka and Kotori when she noticed someone come running down the hallway. She was just contemplating whether she had the energy to scold them when they skidded to a halt in front of her.   
  
“Sonoda-sama!!” The girl, who Umi recognized as a fellow second year from the archery club, exclaimed frantically. “W-We need your help! One of the first years injured herself! I know you’re probably too busy and said you were taking a break from the club but we really need you right now. You’ve always been the best with first aid!”  
  
Honoka twitched. She had always hated how popular Umi was with the girls in the school. And this girl was quite attractive, with dark brown hair and hazel eyes. Of course the fact that the girl was still wearing her archery clothes made her even more attractive somehow.    
  
Umi glanced cautiously at Honoka. “U-Um…I was just heading home..H-How serious..”  
  
“The first year, Amagi-chan somehow got an arrow stuck in her palm. I-It didn’t go through her hand but it’s pretty deep and we don’t know what to do. And she’s so upset. She won’t stop crying!”  
  
Umi sighed and looked to Honoka once more. She could see that Honoka understood but also that the girl looked jealous. "Okay, I’ll help. I don’t like knowing someone is crying. I’ll catch up with you two tomorrow.”  
  
With that said, Umi let the brown haired, hazel eyed girl drag her off down the hall. She couldn’t help but look back at Honoka and Kotori, noticing Honoka staring after her. When she rounded the corner with the girl she recognized as Kawakimi Rika, she finally faced forward, taking note of where they were going.   
  
“You should come back to the archery club.” Rika was saying as they walked. “It’s just not the same without you.”  
  
“I need to focus on Love Live, Kawakimi-san.” Umi said calmly though the thought of someone sitting with their hand bleeding caused her footsteps to become hurried.   
  
“I know, I know.” Rika sighed at the response as she began to jog a bit to keep up. “It’s just that you’re our ace. We need you!”  
  
“We’ll see what happens.” Umi said meekly as they reached the club room. She spotted the injured girl right away. She was sitting on her knees in the middle of the room, her hand held out in front of her.   
  
“Oh finally!” Someone nearby said. “She’s over there, Sonoda-sama!”  
  
Umi was already walked over to the girl. She stooped down in front of her and the girl looked up, meeting her eyes. Tears clung to her long lashes though she seemed to be trying to stay calm. She was holding tightly to her hand, blood seeping through her fingers.   
  
Umi growled under her breath and glanced at the other. “Why didn’t any of you take her to the nurse?!”  
  
“I-It was locked!” Another first year squeaked, flinching back. “S-Sorry, Sonoda-sama.”  
  
Umi sighed and turned her attention back to the girl in front of her. “You’re…Amagi-chan, right?”  
  
“Y-You can call me H-Hibiki if you want.” Hibiki sniffled softly.   
  
“Hibiki then.” Umi said with a reassuring smile. She watched as Hibiki’s lips turned up ever so slightly. The girl was pretty, she noticed, with long black haired tied back into a half braid and eyes that were startlingly blue. They were brighter than Honoka’s even, though of course Umi didn’t find herself as captivated by them as she did Honoka’s. “Let’s go, I have the keys to the nurse’s office.”  
  
“Thank you, Sonoda-san.” Hibiki said as Umi took her arm to gently help her up from the ground. She managed to make it out of the room but feeling a little bit woozy she stumbled outside.   
  
Umi winced as she steadied the shorter girl. She took a moment to look her over, noticing how pale she looked but also how small she looked. “I’m sorry for any awkwardness but this is going to be faster.”  
  
“Huh?” Hibiki let out a little yelp as Umi scooped her up bridal style. Behind her she could hear a commotion from the girls left behind. “S-Sonoda-san, t-this is embarrassing.”  
  
“It’s fine.” Umi said with a small smile as she glanced down at the girl. “It just means I can get you to the nurse’s office faster.”  
  
“O-Okay.” Hibiki stuttered, gripping Umi’s shirt with her good one. She pressed the bloody one to her soiled shirt as Umi carried her to the nurse’s office, only setting her down when she had to unlock the door.  
  
When the door was opened she followed Umi inside and accepted her help in sitting on one of the beds. She thanked her quietly as Umi grabbed the chair from in front of the computer and wheeled it over, getting a few things she’d need on the way.   
  
“Can I see your hand?” Umi set the first aid supplies down on the bed and sat down, holding her hand out to Hibiki. She didn’t have to wait more than a few seconds before a bloody hand was placed lightly in her own. She took a moment to look over the wound.   
  
“I’m just going to have to take it easy, right?” Hibiki asked disappointedly. “It’ll be a pain to paint…”  
  
“You paint?” Umi asked, reaching for some antibacterial wipes. She cleaned off her own hands with a wipe before she took another from the pack to carefully clean the wound. “Wait…you’re that Amagi-chan? The painter?”  
  
“Ah…yes?” Hibiki replied cautiously. “Is that a bad thing?”  
  
“No, not at all. I loved your piece at last year’s art fair. I’ve always loved Japanese art and you have a very traditional style.” Umi reached for a band aid and gently applied it to Hibiki’s now clean wound.   
  
“Yeah?” Hibiki winced slightly as Umi pressed down on the band aid. “I kind of want to go into modern a bit more…”  
  
“I’m sure it’ll be great.” Umi finally picked up a bandage and fell silent as she wrapped Hibiki’s hand. “There. Does it feel better?”  
  
“Yes, thank you.” Hibiki said with a shy smile as she drew her hand to her chest. “The other girls are right about you…you are dashing.”  
  
“What?” Umi asked, an odd combination of amused and embarrassed. “I-I didn’t know they called me that. I’m not…dashing.”  
  
“You aren’t?” Hibiki asked skeptically. “You carried me here.”  
  
“I-It was just faster.” Umi said sheepishly, her cheeks reddening. “It was nothing.”  
  
“It was still dashing, Sonoda-san.” Hibiki said with a soft smile. “A-Anyway I had better be getting back so…thank you. So much.”  
  
“Ah, yeah!” Umi quickly stood up from her seat as Hibiki hopped off the bed.   
  
“M-Maybe we can hang out again sometime?” Hibiki asked hopefully.    
  
“Oh.” Umi’s eyes widened slightly in surprise. “M-Maybe.” She watched as Hibiki left the room, noticing the slight blush on the first year’s cheeks.    
  
—  
  
“I ate lunch with Nozomi today.” Eli mentioned as she watched Maki towel drying her hair. It had become a regular occurrence for Maki to just stay over at her house. “We talked.”  
  
“Oh?” Maki glanced over her shoulder at Eli, raising a questioning eyebrow.   
  
“She said she might like Nico. And I’m not as jealous as I thought I would be.” Eli smiled softly, leaning back on her hands. “I thought I would be but I’m not. I think it’s because of you.”  
  
“Me?”  
  
“Yeah. Because I love you so much. I don’t need anything else.” Eli said with a shrug.   
  
Maki paused in drying her hair and after a moment, dropped the towel. She walked over to Eli and crawled onto the bed with her, straddling her lap. Wrapping her arms around Eli’s neck she pulled her in close and kissed her slowly, her fingers sliding into soft blonde hair. She felt Eli’s hands at her lower back, threatening to slide down further and smirked to herself as she pulled away.   
  
“W-What was that for?” Eli asked, clearly flustered.   
  
“Just because I felt like it.” Maki gently kissed Eli once more but pulled away quickly.   
  
“You seriously surprise me every day.” Eli muttered. She reached up, gently running her fingers through Maki’s damp hair. “I asked Nozomi if you could come next time. To lunch. She said yes. And that we can all talk for real. About everything.”  
  
“I would like that.” Maki leaned her head into Eli’s hand and practically purred as Eli’s nails scraped against her scalp.   
  
Eli grinned at the sound. “You’re just too damn cute.” She mused.  
  
“I am not.” Maki faux glared at Eli for a moment but quickly turned serious. “Hey um…can I show you something?”  
  
“Oh?” Eli grinned mischievously and raised her eyebrows. “Maybe I should lock the door.”  
  
“Pervert.” Maki muttered with a fond roll of her eyes. She got up and went to her jacket across the room, rummaging through the pockets until she emerged with the lyrics Umi had given her. She went to sit back down on the bed, next to Eli rather than on top of her this time and handed her the lyrics. “Umi gave these to me.”  
  
“Lyrics?” Eli questioned in confusion. She read over them, her eyes widening in surprise. “Whoa, these are really…heavy.”  
  
“I don’t know what to do with them.” Maki sighed and lay down, placing her head in Eli’s lap. “I thought at first, maybe it should be a simple ballad. But that has no place in an idol group. And then I thought maybe a duet…”  
  
“A duet?” Eli hummed thoughtfully. “But who would you have sing it?”  
  
“I don’t know. I was going to say you and Umi should do it if it’s a duet but I kind of want a higher voice to harmonize with Umi’s lower tone, you know?” Maki asked, watching as Eli read through the lyrics again.   
  
“I don’t think Hanayo could really handle this.” Eli said, glancing down at Maki. “I’m surprised Umi even wrote this.”  
  
“No way am I letting Hanayo sing this.” Maki said agreeably. “Rin is too chipper and Honoka is too.”  
  
“Not now.” Eli frowned. “She hasn’t been chipper for a while.”  
  
“Well…you know what I mean. Nozomi is still an alto despite having a high speaking voice and Nico’s voice is as deep as Umi’s. The only person who fits is…”  
  
“Kotori.” Eli finished for her, wincing at the thought. “Those two singing that song would cause some fireworks though.”  
  
“I guess. But I feel like it just fits, you know?” Maki pushed herself into a sitting position so she could look at Eli properly. “I just think that Umi wrote some of these lyrics for Kotori. The ones about monopolizing especially.”  
  
Eli nodded and put the lyrics aside. “She must be so frustrated with this whole situation if she’s been writing these lyrics for a while. Maybe singing it will help her in a way?”  
  
“Maybe…” Maki reached for the lyrics, not wanting to lose them.   
  
“So are you going to make it a duet?” Eli lay down on her back, sighing blissfully at the softness of her mattress underneath her.   
  
“Yeah.” Maki lay down on her side next to Eli and pressed close to her, wrapping an arm around her waist. “Thank you for helping me decide. I’m…glad I have you.”  
  
Eli’s heart swelled at the realization that Maki was actually letting her help. She knew it had to be a big step for the girl. She kissed her forehead softly. “I love you.”  
  
“Eh?!” Maki blushed at the sudden announcement. “W-What was that for?”  
  
Eli grinned and shrugged. “Just felt like it.”  
  
Maki closed her eyes and buried her face in Eli’s shoulder, inhaling slowly. “Sometimes I still can’t believe you chose me. That you love me. It was surprising enough that you wanted to kiss me and…stuff.”  
  
Eli scoffed playfully. “You don’t give yourself enough credit. Do you remember our first kiss?”  
  
“In the music room? On the piano bench?” Maki asked, her brow furrowing slightly. She remembered it vividly. “Of course. Why?”  
  
“I’d kissed someone before. Not you or Nozomi. And it was just…nothing. It wasn’t bad but mostly I just felt uncomfortable. But when I kissed you it was like…fireworks. I remember thinking ‘Wow, what the hell was that’ because I was so surprised by how good it felt just to kiss you.”  
  
“You’re mocking me!” Maki lightly elbowed Eli in the side in indignation.   
  
Eli was about to protest when she heard a knock at her door. She sat up and Maki did the same, worriedly tidying her messy red hair. “Come in!”  
  
The door opened and Arisa stepped into the room, biting her lip. She was already dressed in her pajamas and she looked a bit sheepish upon seeing Maki sitting there. “Would it be alright if I come in for a while, Onee-chan?”  
  
“Of course.” Eli scooted closer to Maki, leaving a space at her other side for Arisa. She wasn’t especially surprised when Arisa dove onto the bed next to her and huddled close to her side. She glanced at the clock. It was eleven at night. Arisa would have gone to bed a while ago. “Did you have a nightmare?”  
  
Arisa nodded and pressed her face against Eli’s arm.   
  
Eli soothingly stroked Arisa’s hair. “What was it about?”  
  
“I-I can’t talk about it when Maki-san is here, it’s embarrassing.” Arisa whispered though Maki heard quite clearly. “I’m too old to have nightmares…”  
  
“Um…A-Arisa, I…” Maki cleared her throat awkwardly and looked past Eli at Arisa. “I don’t think you’re too old to have nightmares. I still have them and I’m even older than you.”  
  
“Y-You do?” Arisa peaked past Eli at Maki. “What about?”  
  
“Uh…” Maki glanced at Eli uncertainly.   
  
“Keep going.” Eli mouthed encouragingly.   
  
“I have nightmares about um…horror movies. And magical girls.” Maki said sheepishly, figuring she shouldn’t bring anything heavier into it.   
  
Arisa giggled at the answer. “That’s…not very cool, Maki-san.”  
  
“She’s a complete nerd.” Eli said teasingly. “Magical girls? Seriously?”  
  
“What?! Nothing in those movies and shows makes sense!” Maki protested though if she was honest she didn’t feel all that defensive. “A-Anyway, says the girl who’s still afraid of the dark!”  
  
“Onee-chan isn’t that cool either.” Arisa mused, a slightly disappointed tone to her voice. “I don’t know why so many people think you two are the coolest. Sonoda-san is the coolest.”  
  
“Umi?” Maki asked in disbelief. “You think Umi is the coolest? I mean she’s…she has the whole dashing thing going on for her, I guess but…what about Honoka? Most people like Honoka, right?”  
  
Arisa wrinkled her nose. “She’s Yukiho-chan’s older sister.”  
  
“Well…”  
  
“Are you dating Onee-chan now?” Arisa’s blunt question struck Maki by surprise and for a moment she could only blink at her in astonishment.   
  
“Um…y-yeah, I am.” Maki answered hesitantly. “Is…that okay with you?”  
  
Arisa shrugged her shoulders. “I don’t mind.” She looked to her sister after, biting her lip in concern. “Nozomi-san will still visit sometimes, won’t she?”  
  
“Of course.” Eli said with a small smile. She hoped so anyway. “She’s my best friend. And one of Maki’s closest friends so she’ll definitely be back.”  
  
“Good. Can I stay here tonight?” Arisa looked between both Eli and Maki, clearly expecting an answer from both of them.

“Of course. You don’t need to ask.” Eli answered without hesitation. “Right, Maki?”   
  
Maki was caught off guard but nodded hurriedly in response. “Sure.”  
  
“Thank you!” Arisa beamed at the response. “So how did the two of you get together?”  
  
“I’ll tell you when you’re older.” Eli said while Maki turned red. “Much, much older.”  
  
“Eeeeh?!” Arisa exclaimed. “I’m only a year younger than Maki-san. Tell me!”  
  
“No. Now go to sleep.”   
  
—  
  
Kotori wasn’t sure why but she felt a lot more at ease when she was with Nozomi and Nico than she was with anyone else. Even Honoka. She supposed it might be because she could say what she was thinking around them and she wouldn’t be ridiculed for it.   
  
That was how she found herself at Nozomi’s apartment after school, instead of at Honoka’s, like she should be.   
  
She was sitting at Nozomi’s table, Nico sitting opposite her. She seemed a bit tense about something, Kotori couldn’t help but notice. She was glaring at the table, silently gritting her teeth. Kotori didn’t know what was wrong with her and she didn’t especially want to ask.   
  
She was relieved when Nozomi walked back into the room, a tray in her hands. She set it down on the table and began to pour them some tea.   
  
“I could have helped with that, you know.” Nico grumbled, crossing her arms in front of her chest.   
  
“It’s my place so I should do it.” Nozomi said with a shake of her head. She set a cup of tea in front of Kotori before taking her own seat next to Nico. “Now what’s wrong, Kotori-chan?”  
  
“Isn’t it obvious?” Nico asked with a roll of her eyes. “The idiot probably screwed up again.”  
  
“Um…not really.” Kotori said quietly, glancing between the two of them. “It’s…kind of the same problem. Umi-chan was confessed to today.”  
  
“Huh?” Nozomi suddenly found herself confused. She didn’t see the problem with that. “So she’s popular like Elichi. Why does that matter?”  
  
“Honoka-chan watched it. With Rin-chan.” Kotori took a moment to sip at her tea while Nozomi and Nico stared at her blankly. “When Umi-chan rejected the girl Honoka-chan looked relieved. And she hugged her. But it was strange. It didn’t seem like our usual friendship kind of intimacy…it was too intimate. Like…Like Honoka-chan wasn’t hugging Umi-chan, she was…holding her, you know? I don’t know how to describe that kind of hug but it’s like…”  
  
“Intimate.” Nozomi concluded, her gaze shifting to Nico. “The kind of hug where you don’t want to let go, you just want to keep holding them, your nose buried in their neck so you can breathe them in.”  
  
Nico flushed and looked away with a huff.   
  
“Yes!” Kotori’s eyes widened. She hadn’t even had to mention that part. “It was exactly like that. And Umi-chan didn’t even pull away, it was like they had done this before. Honoka-chan doesn’t even hug me like that.”  
  
“So just be bolder with her.” Nico advised bluntly. “If you want something, you go and get it. You don’t watch them with someone else and just give up when there’s something you can do about it.”  
  
“Nico.” Nozomi sighed. She knew that Nico wasn’t talking specifically about Kotori’s situation. “It doesn’t always work that way.”  
  
“Bolder? You think?” Kotori asked skeptically. “But Honoka-chan only really likes kissing and holding hands. Innocent stuff like that.”  
  
“Please, she’s Eli’s freaking kouhai.” Nico scoffed. “Maybe she just needs you to be a bit bolder with her. She’s waiting for you to take the lead.”  
  
“But whenever I try to touch her, like…go up her shirt or kiss her neck she tenses up, like she doesn’t like it.” Kotori groaned and crossed her arms on the table, allowing her head to fall to them. “I’m so frustrated though, I’m just waiting for her to take me.”  
  
Nozomi was slightly surprised by how blunt Kotori was being. “Maybe you should talk to her. Ask her if she’s uncomfortable or…”  
  
“Talking gets you nowhere.” Nico cut in. “You need to take action instead. Seriously, you can’t just talk everything to death. It doesn’t work. All it ever gets you is an answer that you don’t want, like your girlfriend has left you for someone else. If you actually show her what she’s missing maybe you have a chance. Let’s face it, you’re hot. If you were single I would fuck you.”  
  
“NICO!” Nozomi stood up suddenly, her voice rising to a yell.  
  
Kotori looked up at Nozomi, chilled by the jealousy in her eyes. It wasn’t often she saw Nozomi angry. Even more chilling was the fact that the girl’s jealousy was directed at her.    
  
“I think you should leave.” Nozomi continued, looking down at the table.   
  
Kotori slowly stood. “Okay, I was just…”  
  
“Not you, Kotori-chan.” Nozomi said through gritted teeth. Her chest felt heavy, a lump forming in her throat. That last comment had stung more than she would have hoped.   
  
“Me?!” Nico asked in disbelief. “You’re…you’re kidding, right? But we’re…”  
  
“You obviously don’t think we’re anything.” Nozomi said sharply, her eyes watering. “So just get out.”  
  
“Fine!” Nico stood up, sending her chair clattering to the floor. “Hey maybe if Kotori breaks up with Honoka you can use her as your fucking rebound sex toy instead of me. I’m done with it. I’m done with all of this crap. I can’t help you if you won’t help yourself!”  
  
“I-I don’t think I should be hearing this so I’m gonna go now.” Kotori hurried off without waiting for them to answer her. Neither of them noticed.   
  
“Using you?!” Nozomi yelled in disbelief. “You aren’t my sex toy. Is that what you thought?! That I was just using you for sex?”  
  
“I don’t give a damn what you were doing!” Nico slammed her fist down on the table, rattling the tray Nozomi had placed down. “I’m just done with it!”  
  
“If you don’t give a damn why are you crying?” Nozomi’s words were choked but she managed to force them out as she watched tears slide their way from Nico’s eyes.   
  
“Because…because…” Nico shook her head, at a loss. She knew why but she couldn’t tell Nozomi that. “I would have done anything for you. Anything you fucking asked of me. But I wish I had never slept with you.”  
  
Nozomi recoiled slightly, tears filling her own eyes too. “I’m sorry. I’m sorry it can’t be as simple as you want it to be but I don’t want to be with Elichi. She’s moved on and so have I.”  
  
“Is this the part where you tell me you’re in love with another of our friends? Umi, maybe? Or Hanayo!”   
  
“Yes.” Nozomi said softly. “I am. I’m in love with another of my friends. One who’s been with me through everything. A person who never left my side, even when I was at my lowest. A person I want to spend every second of my day with. A person who is so fucking dense I have to spell how I feel out to her. But I don’t mind too much because it’s one of the things I love about her.”  
  
“I always did take for you for a sadist.” Nico said tearfully though she still managed to glare. “Trying to hurt me now, huh? That’s great. GREAT!”  
  
“The person I have feelings for is Yazawa Nico.” Nozomi announced loudly, her hands clenched into fists. “A stubborn, stupid, cynical, dense, secretly kind and loving jerk with a heart of gold. That’s the kind of person I’m in love with and I’m…I’m terrified of it. But if you mean it when you say you’d do anything for me, just say you’ll be with me. I want you, Nicocchi. So please, just…just want me ba-” She was cut off as Nico stormed toward her. Nozomi barely had time to catch the determined look on Nico’s face before the girl was kissing her, hands firmly cupping her face to draw her close.    
  
Nozomi kissed her back as Nico drew her down to her height. She half expected Nico to drag her off to the bedroom like she usually would have. Instead, the girl pulled back after a moment and hugged her tightly.   
  
“I want you back.” Nico finally said. “But I want you to be happy. You love Eli and I promised…”  
  
“I loved Eli.” Nozomi corrected softly, returning the tight embrace. “I still do. But we’re never going to be together again. She’s in love with Maki-chan. And right now I just want to be with you. So just let yourself be happy, Nicocchi. I’m right here.”  
  
Nico took a shuddering breath and nodded against Nozomi’s shoulder.   
—  
  
Honoka closed her eyes tightly, trying to remind herself of how much she loved to spend time with Kotori. She’d always gone out of her way to spend time with her, both with Umi there and when it was just her and Kotori. It was always easy and she’d always enjoyed Kotori touching her before, whether it was something simple like holding her hand or the two of them cuddling up together on the couch.   
  
This wasn’t like that though. Kotori was kissing her neck, her hands running up and down her sides as she straddled her hips.   
  
Honoka whimpered slightly as Kotori nipped at her neck.   
  
Kotori paused at the sound, wondering for a moment if she’d been hearing things. Assuming Honoka liked what she was doing, she let herself go further, sucking firmly at Honoka’s heated skin. She smelled like vanilla and that combined with the warmth emanating from her was making Kotori heady with excitement.   
  
Honoka gritted her teeth. She wanted to give Kotori what she wanted but she was anything but comfortable in the situation. She couldn’t stop thinking about Umi, about how hurt she would be and how different it had been when they were together. “S-Stop. Stop.”  
  
“Are you sure?” Kotori mumbled, remembering what Nico had said about being bold. She slid her hands under Honoka’s shirt, fingers brushing against hot skin. “There’s no need to be shy…”  
  
Honoka gripped the back of Kotori’s shirt, hard. That wasn’t it. It was just that she didn’t feel the same things she felt when she was with Umi. To do those things with Kotori, her best friend, would be wrong. As Kotori’s hands reached her breasts, Honoka couldn’t take it anymore. Her hands moved to Kotori’s shoulders and she shoved her back, probably a bit too hard.   
  
Kotori yelped in alarm as she fell off the bed, hitting the floor with a solid thud.   
  
Honoka quickly scooted back, pulling her knees to her chest as her eyes filled with tears. “I-I’m sorry, I just…I can’t.”  
  
Kotori stood up, rubbing her shoulder. She looked hurt and more than a little bit disappointed. “T-That’s okay, Honoka-chan. Look just…” She reached out to Honoka only for her best friend to cringe.   
  
“Don’t touch me!” Honoka watched, her vision misted with tears as Kotori flinched back. “I’m sorry. I’m so sorry, I tried so hard but I can’t. I just can’t…”  
  
Kotori watched, her stomach knotted with worry as Honoka buried her face into her knees, sobbing quietly. She had done this. Her eyes stung with guilty tears. “D-Do you want me to call Eli-chan?” She asked, deciding it best to keep her hands to herself. She had to force herself to pose the next question. “Or Umi-chan?  
  
Honoka looked up, her face streaked with tears. “I-I have to go home. A-And help my mom with the shop. I’ll see you tomorrow, K-Kotori-chan.”  
  
“But it’s…” Kotori could only watch as Honoka scooted off the bed and ran for the door, quickly letting herself out. “10pm already.”  
  
Honoka left the house as quickly as she could, barely pausing to put her shoes on on the way out. She was halfway to Umi’s house when she realized that she had left her book bag and her blazer behind. She didn’t stop running though, more concerned with getting to Umi. She had the presence of mind to text Umi on the way to tell her she was coming over. Knocking at her door would just cause problems if her parents were home.   
  
Umi was waiting outside of the gate for her when she got there, a worried look on her face. As soon as she spotted Honoka running toward her, she took off at a sprint, meeting her halfway. She almost stumbled as Honoka threw herself into her arms, sobbing loudly.   
  
Umi hugged Honoka tightly for a moment, dread pooling low in her stomach. She didn’t know what had happened but it must have been serious if it had upset Honoka so much. “W-What happened?” She finally drew away, holding Honoka in place with her hands on her arms. She looked her over, noticing her state of undress. She didn’t have her book bag, she wasn’t wearing her blazer and a few of her shirt buttons were undone. Umi’s gaze travelled upward to Honoka’s neck and she sucked in a sharp breath at the sight of a dark mark on her skin. She hadn’t left marks there for awhile. “Kotori.”  
  
Honoka nodded tearfully.   
  
Umi exhaled through her teeth, her hands trembling at her sides with anger. “Let’s go to my room and talk about this, my parents are asleep. Okay?”  
  
Honoka choked back a sob. “I’m sorry. I’m so sorry, I’m…”  
  
“Don’t. Don’t even think that.” Umi gently cupped Honoka’s face in her hands. “I understand.”  
  
Honoka closed the distance between them and kissed Umi, sighing at the touch.   
  
Umi kissed back hesitantly at first but after a moment Honoka pulled her in closer by the lapels of her jacket. She wrapped her arms around Honoka’s waist in response.   
  
Honoka sighed in relief against Umi’s lips, the mere feeling of the girl pressed against her calming her down.   
  
“Let’s take this inside.” Umi mumbled against Honoka’s lips. “We can talk about it in my room, alright?” She kissed Honoka again, fleetingly this time.   
  
“Yeah.” Honoka whispered as Umi took her hand. She let herself be pulled along, content in the knowledge that soon enough she’d be back in Umi’s embrace.   
  
—  
  
Kotori stared at the table, avoiding making eye contact with Honoka. She had managed to get through the majority of the day without speaking to her. She couldn’t face her yet. Not after what had happened and what she had found. She’d had her suspicions but she hadn’t known for sure. Not really.   
  
Maki cleared her throat. The atmosphere was thick with tension for some reason and she couldn’t help but notice that Honoka and Kotori were sitting quite far from each other. “Um…so I just want you to read through the lyrics I gave you all.”  
  
“What is it, nya?” Rin asked curiously, reading over the lyrics. “A new song? Who’s going to sing it?”  
  
“I’ve decided to make it a duet.” Maki answered apprehensively. She looked to Eli for reassurance. The blonde had been speaking to Nozomi and Honoka but she was looking straight at her and gave a soft smile of assurance. “I’d like for Kotori and Umi to sing it together. It’ll…”  
  
Umi looked up sharply while Kotori gave a bitter laugh. “You’ve got to be kidding me.” She picked up the lyrics, reading quickly through them and gritted her teeth. “Do I need to ask who wrote this?”  
  
Maki stayed quiet.   
  
“Excuse me, Maki-chan. I’ll be right back.” Kotori stood from her seat and walked out of the room, leaving the others to read her lyrics.   
  
“Kotori-chan looks angry…” Hanayo said quietly, gripping Rin’s arm. “I’ve never seen her so angry before. What do you think she’s going to do?”  
  
“It’ll be okay.” Maki murmured, laying a hand on Hanayo’s shoulder. Worried eyes turned to her and she smiled softly. “Don’t worry.”  
  
“You wrote this?” Honoka whispered as she finished reading the lyrics.   
  
Umi looked away in embarrassment. “Yes.”  
  
“It’s deep.” Eli remarked though she didn’t have to read through the lyrics to know that. Maki had already let her read them after all.   
  
Umi shrunk down in her seat just as Kotori walked back into the room, carrying Honoka’s blazer.   
  
“M-My blazer.” Honoka stood up in surprise. She wasn’t sure Kotori had even noticed that she had left it the previous night.   
  
Eli noticed the livid look on Kotori’s face and stood up too. She felt Nozomi apprehensively touch her hand, obviously worried that she was going to do something.   
  
“And don’t forget this.” Kotori drew her arm back and threw something at Honoka. It would have hit her in the face had Eli not had quick enough reflexes to catch it before it could. She opened her hand, revealing a necklace with a ring attached to it.   
  
Umi shot up from her chair, anger evident on her face. Her cheeks were flushed, teeth gritted. “What the hell?!”  
  
“Shut up.” Kotori growled. “This is between me and Honoka-chan. Stay out of it!”  
  
“You could have hurt her, what were you thinking?!” Eli asked angrily as Honoka carefully took the necklace from her hand. “You almost hit her in the face!”  
  
“Kotori-cha…” Nozomi said carefully, remembering her own retaliation against Maki after she’d found out that Eli had cheated.   
  
Kotori stormed around the table to Umi and pulled her necklace out from under her shirt. “It’s the same one! The exact same one. You two have matching rings!”  
  
Umi tried to pull away, wanting to protect the gift Honoka had given her but Kotori held tight. “Kotori, stop it. Just let go of me! Please, you’re going to…”  
  
“What? Damage your precious necklace?” Kotori felt anger flare in her gut and she tugged roughly at the necklace she was still holding onto, breaking the clasp at the back and causing Umi to cry out in pain. She felt satisfaction for a moment, with the necklace held securely in her hand rather than around Umi’s neck.   
  
“STOP IT!” Umi shoved at Kotori’s chest, sending her stumbling backwards against the desk, the necklace still clasped in her hand. She stared at the tightly clenched fist, tears brimming in her eyes. “Just give it back. Please just give it back.”  
  
Behind Kotori, Rin hurriedly guided Hanayo out of the room.   
  
Honoka made to lunge forward, fully intending to snatch the necklace from Kotori but Eli grabbed her from behind, pulling her close with an arm around her waist.   
  
“Kotori-chan, stop it.” Nozomi’s voice was firm as she got up from her seat. She felt Nico get up with her, grabbing her wrist to keep her from getting close. “This isn’t you. I know you’re upset but just take a minute before you do anything else. You don’t want to do something you’ll regret later. Trust me, I know how you’re feeling right now but this isn’t right.”  
  
“AND WHAT THEY’RE DOING IS?!” Kotori yelled furiously, her eyes were full of tears too now. “I should throw this away.”  
  
“Don’t!” Umi exclaimed in panic, her heart lurching in her chest. “Please. Please don’t, Kotori. I’m sorry. I’m so sorry, just please give it back. I’ll do anything you want, just…please.”  
  
Kotori watched Umi’s lower lip tremble, fresh tears gathering in her eyes as she begged her. She suddenly felt sick. She’d always hated seeing Umi cry and now here she was, making her do it. Fuelled by her anger, she had wanted to hurt Umi as much as she had already hurt her. She cursed under her breath and put the necklace back on the table before walking out.   
  
“I’ll go after her.” Nozomi said quietly as Eli finally let go of Honoka. Immediately, Honoka went to Umi and hugged her tightly.   
  
“I’m here. I’m right here, Umi-chan.”  
  
“I’ll go with you.” Nico said quickly, not wanting Nozomi to go alone. Together the two of them left the room, leaving Umi crying into Honoka’s chest.   
  
“I’m going too.” Eli said, her voice taut with anger. Quickly, she took off after the three of them, ignoring Maki’s pleas to be careful.   
  
Maki sighed and walked over to Umi and Honoka. She briefly met Honoka’s gaze, noticing the tears tracking silently down her cheeks. She gently rubbed Umi’s back, trying to provide some kind of comfort. “It’ll be okay. We’ll get you a new chain.”  
  
“Is…” Umi looked up, her face flushed and wet with tears. “Is is broken?”  
  
Maki looked over at the chain. “Yeah. I’m sorry, Umi.” She bit her lip as Umi’s tears started afresh. “It’s okay. I was with Honoka when she go it. Did she tell you that? I helped her pick out the chains. I can help her get the same ones.”  
  
“No. We don’t need it.” Honoka pulled away from Umi and went to get the ring, taking it off the necklace. She hurried back to Umi’s side and took her left hand, carefully sliding the ring onto her finger. “This is where it’s supposed to be anyway. We’re going to be okay, Umi-chan. Okay?” She pressed her forehead to Umi’s feeling her best friend tremble against her. “I’ve got you.”  
  
“Honoka…” Umi choked, reaching up to grip the front of Honoka’s shirt.   
  
“Shhh.” Honoka kissed Umi tenderly, ignoring the fact that Maki was still standing right next to them. Her thumbs swept across Umi’s cheeks as she kissed her, gently brushing tears away.   
  
—  
  
Kotori could hear footsteps behind her as she stormed out of the school and began to head toward the gates. It was only when the footsteps were practically on top of her that she stopped and spun around to find Nozomi, Nico and Eli following her.   
  
“You.” Kotori pointed at Eli, her eyes narrowed dangerously. “Need to get the hell away from me.”  
  
“Shut the hell up, this was your fault in the first place!” Eli practically yelled, flushed with anger. Her hands tightened into fists at her sides.   
  
Nozomi frowned, glancing at Eli. “Elichi?”  
  
“Typical of you to take their side.” Nico scoffed, stepped closer to Kotori. “What the hell are you even talking about?”  
  
“Don’t fucking start with me, Nico.” Eli’s eyes were dark with fury as she turned to Nico. “Tell me. If you had feelings for Nozomi and you knew she and I had feelings for each other would you confess to her first, knowing she wouldn’t be able to say no?”  
  
“Of course I wouldn’t. If the two of you wanted to be together th…oh god, Honoka and Umi liked each other first?” Nico’s eyes widened in realization. “You didn’t, Kotori. Fucking…tell me you didn’t!”  
  
“That’s exactly it.” Eli crossed her arms in front of her chest. “She knew they had feelings for each other and she didn’t say ANYTHING. She took advantage and she just confessed.”  
  
“Kotori-chan…” Nozomi said disappointedly. “Is that true?”  
  
“How is this my fault?!” Kotori exclaimed, her voice higher than usual. “Because they have feelings for each I have to keep my feelings to myself?!”  
  
“YES, you fucking IDIOT!” Eli exploded furiously, her hands sliding into her hair. “Of course that’s what you should do! You didn’t give her any choice but to say YES!”  
  
“Elichi, stop attacking her.” Nozomi said sharply though she couldn’t help but feel annoyed at Kotori’s lack of judgement. Still, the second year looked close to tears. “Kotori-chan, we’ll talk more at my apartment. Let’s go.”  
  
“Hey, what…?” Eli protested as she watched Nozomi place a hand on Kotori’s back to lead her away. “I’m not done yet!”  
  
“Leave it, Elichi.” Nozomi called over her shoulder as she led Kotori to the school gates.   
  
Nico shrugged and hurried off after Nozomi and Kotori. 


	18. Chapter 18

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Warning(s): Sexual scenes, violence, cheating.

Umi was walking down the hallway to the art clubroom when she thought she heard the sound of music coming from another room. She paused in the hallway, listening curiously. It sounded familiar. Very familiar. It didn’t take her longer than a few minutes to recognize the melody as ‘Start dash’.   
  
“Odd…” She mumbled to herself. Deciding to go an investigate she followed the sound to the art room at the far end of the corridor. Cautiously, she pushed the door open and stepped inside, the music growing louder.   
  
“Oh…” She stopped short just past the doorway. There was only one person in the room. Amagi was sitting in front of a canvas, her side to the door. She was nodding along to the music as she painted, a focused look on her face. She was dressed in her school uniform without the blazer. The left side of her cheek had a streak of red paint on it. The rest of the room was as messy as she was. There were jars of water on almost every surface along with clean and unclean paintbrushes.   
  
“You like our music?”

Hibiki startled at the sudden voice and almost fell from her stool. “Ahh, Sonoda-san! I-I um…I didn’t know you’d be around this part of the school. Did you need something?”  
  
“Just giving this form to the art club.” Umi held up the form in her hand and stepped further into the room. “So…?” She nodded toward Hibiki’s open laptop.   
  
“Oh, y-yeah. Everyone knows Muse…” Hibiki said with a slightly nervous laugh. “Music helps me focus and…yours is great. I’m a big fan.”  
  
“Oh yeah? Name more than two of our songs.” Umi said with an expectant smile. As she’d thought, Hibiki’s face fell. She laughed softly in response. “It’s fine. Don’t look so worried.”  
  
“Wild Stars and No Brand Girl. And of course, Start Dash.” Hibiki answered, putting down her paintbrush. She looked down, noticing the ring on Umi’s finger. “Oh, so you confessed to them?”  
  
“Wha…?” Umi looked down too, blushing when she noticed what Hibiki was referring to. “O-Oh yeah, I um…I did. I would be grateful if you could keep it a secret though. I don’t think she wants anyone to know yet and…it’s complicated.”  
  
“It’s Kaichou you’re with, isn’t it?” Hibiki turned more toward Umi, crossing one leg over the other. “I thought there was something odd about the way she looks at you compared to how she looked at Minami-san…”  
  
“That’s the complicated part…” Umi uncomfortably rubbed her neck. She wished she could just be with Honoka properly. If she’d just confessed all those months ago they wouldn’t even be in this mess. “She’s my best friend. Kotori, I mean. I feel bad for….this.”  
  
“Well I suppose they were going to fall apart eventually if Kaichou had feelings for you. So it’s not your fault.” Hibiki said with a shrug of her shoulders. She looked sincere though. “I’m guessing that’s why you didn’t give me a chance.”  
  
“Yeah…I’m sorry about that.” Umi apologized with a wince. “I’m sorry if I hurt your feelings. I know how hard it is to confess to someone. Actually I don’t, I never had the courage to confess.”  
  
Hibiki waved her off. “It’s fine, I knew you had feelings for someone. I just wanted to confess. To get everything off my chest, you know? I’m…” She trailed off when she noticed Umi giving her an appraising look. “What?”  
  
“You’re not like an ordinary fangirl.” Umi noted thoughtfully. She had plenty of them and Hibiki just wasn’t like them.   
  
“I’m not part of your fanclub Fuku-Kaichou. I’m just an admirer, that’s all.”  
  
“Wait…” Umi touched her chin with her index finger, trying to figure something out. “Then why did you join archery when you were going to be part of the art club?”  
  
Hibiki suddenly looked sheepish. “To be honest, my father made me take one sport. I thought archery would be easy.” She noticed a flicker of outrage cross Umi’s face and grinned at her. “Sorry. I’m not good with sports. I’m an artist.”  
  
“I guess that explains how you managed to put an arrow through your hand.” Umi said with a sigh. She rubbed her temples tiredly. “You’re not what I expected. Everyone describes you as being perfect but you’re kind of cheeky too.”  
  
Hibiki gave a short laugh. “I hate rumors. Sometimes people should shut up and mind their own business, I think. But the truth is, I don’t care what people say. Not like Nishikino…”  
  
“Maki has a hard time fitting in, that’s all.” Umi’s tone turned a little defensive. “She just wants people to like her, I don’t see anything wrong with that. And her dad is strict. I doubt she wants to get in trouble with him over something like someone at school thinking less of her.”  
  
“Don’t take it the wrong way, Sonoda-san. I’m not saying anything bad about her, I’m just saying that I think she shouldn’t let her father get to her.” Hibiki said hastily. “She should do what makes her happiest and in my opinion she seems happiest when she’s with Muse. I really wasn’t making fun of her.”  
  
“I’m sorry.” Umi finally said with a sigh. “It’s not like I really thought you were…well I kind of did but Maki has had a rough few months and people haven’t always been nice to her. Especially first years. I’m sorry I got the wrong idea. You might want to work on how blunt you are though.”  
  
Hibiki shrugged and flashed Umi a grin. “Sorry, Sonoda-san. That’s just how I am.”  
  
“Umi.” Umi corrected. She continued when Hibiki frowned in confusion. “You can call me Umi. We’re…kind of friends now, right?”  
  
Hibiki smiled widely at the suggestion. “Okay…Umi-tan. You can call me Hibiki”  
  
“Eeehh?”  
  
“I like giving people nicknames. So Umi-tan. It’s cute, don’t you think?” Hibiki asked somewhat smugly. “You can give me one if you want.”  
  
“Uh…” Umi paused, wondering is this was really the girl who’d stuttered out a confession to her. “I think I’ll just call you Hibiki.”  
  
Hibiki looked momentarily displeased before she spoke up again. “So if I’m your friend I’m Kaichou’s friend too, right? Can I call her Hocchi?”  
  
“What? No! I mean I don’t know. Maybe if you ask her…actually Honoka would probably be into it.” Umi sighed and hung her head. “How are you suddenly so…?”  
  
“Forward?” Hibiki asked, raising an eyebrow. “I don’t know. I just feel like I can be myself around you. I never really had many friends except the ones I meet in Shibuya.”  
  
“Oh…” Umi said slowly as if that really answered anything.   
  
Hibiki could see that Umi didn’t really understand what she was saying. “Look, even if I don’t care about rumors that doesn’t mean I have friends. Fans, sure. But not friends. Besides they don’t know the real me so what’s the point?”  
  
“Uh…” Umi took a moment to look the girl over, noticing her shirt was untucked and the sleeves were rolled up to her elbows, she also didn’t have her bow on. It was on the table. She was wearing red chucks rather than the indoor shoes they were meant to wear. Her gaze travelled back up and she noticed the girl was wearing a chain around her neck, a golden paintbrush charm hanging there. Her ears were pierced too, she noticed. She wondered how she’d missed it before. “Wait, I’m sorry…I don’t mean to be rude o-or anything but um…if you’re like…this, um…why did you even like me? I mean I’m boring in comparison.”  
  
“It’s always the quiet ones who are the most interesting.” Hibiki said with a coy smirk. “Besides you could say that once I found out you wrote No Brand Girl, I fell in love with your writing.” She watched as Umi turned bright red. “But that’s in the past. Having a friend is better than having a lover sometimes…”  
  
“Shameless…” Umi muttered, pressing her hands to her cheeks in an effort to cool herself down.   
  
“Aren’t you just as shameless though?” Hibiki raised an eyebrow and nodded toward Umi’s neck. “Looks like you’ve been getting down and dirty with Hocchi.”  
  
“Aaah!” Umi’s hand shot to the mark on her neck. “I thought you were so innocent! You’re not like the rumors at all!”  
  
“Sorry to disappoint. So what’s the deal?” Hibiki asked, trying to sound unfazed. “You don’t want to be my friend anymore? I don’t think take backs are allowed.”  
  
“Of course I do.” Umi said quickly. She flashed Hibiki a reassuring smile. “Just trying to work out how you’d get along with Muse really. Honoka will like you, I’m sure. She’ll be happy you gave her a nickname. She spent so long trying to get me to give her one when we were kids…”  
  
“Oooh, inside information.” Hibiki hopped down off her stool. “Anything else?”  
  
“You might want to stay away from Nico.” Umi said thoughtfully.   
  
“Yazawa-senpai…maybe you’re right. I’d probably make fun of her Nico-Nico nii shtick…” Hibiki said with a nod of her head.   
  
“Nozomi might like you. In fact I’m sure she would.” Umi said, looking Hibiki up and down. “You’d probably get on really well with her.”  
  
“Nozomin.” Hibiki said with a firm nod of her head.   
  
Umi sighed. “The nicknames are going to get annoying…”  
  
“Yeah well get used to it Umi-tan.” Hibiki retorted, drawing an exasperated groan from Umi. “So do I get to meet them? You were talking like I get to meet them.”  
  
“Maybe eventually.” Umi said with a small smile. She was still a bit puzzled but it hardly mattered. “Oh, I have to get these to the president of the art club. I completely forgot.”   
  
“I’ll give them to her. Don’t worry, Umi-tan.”  
  
“Oh…thank you.” Umi handed over the forms she needed filled in. “Can you tell her I’ll pick them up tomorrow? If she could leave them on her desk. Or with you. I’ll come and find you after school.”  
  
“Alrighty then.” Hibiki grinned as Umi backed away. “I guess I’ll get back to my painting. I hope I didn’t scare you off with the nicknames.”  
  
“You didn’t…” Umi hesitated at the door as Hibiki looked back at her painting. “I kind of like mine.”  
  
When Hibiki turned toward the door again, Umi was already gone.   
  
—  
  
Eli watched Maki pace back and forth in front of her, her brow furrowed with concern. She didn’t know what to say to calm her down.   
  
“I don’t want to go.” Maki was muttering under her breath. “I just know papa’s going to pull that crap again. But I have to go. Ugh, I hate this…”  
  
“If you’re this worried about it, are you sure I should go with you?” Eli asked uncertainly. She didn’t especially want to go anyway. The way Maki had described it didn’t make the thought of going very appealing.   
  
“Of course! Are you kidding me?! You coming with me is the only good thing about the night that I can think of!” Maki protested hurriedly. “I’m sorry. What I mean is that if I have to go to this, you kind of have to go too. That’s one of the key deals with me. Going to this stuffy bullshit.”  
  
Eli raised an eyebrow. “Does your dad know you curse like a sailor? Maybe he’d think twice about taking you if he did.”  
  
“No…I have slipped in front of mama though.” Maki shook her head, realizing she was getting distracted. “But the point is you have to come. I’ll go to whatever you want me to in the future, I promise!”  
  
Eli thought about that for a moment. “There’s a chocolate fair coming up soon…”  
  
Maki sighed and rolled her eyes skyward. “You’re worse than Honoka with bread. Fine, I’ll go with you to that if you want.”  
  
“I can’t wait.” Eli said, smiling brightly at the agreement. “Fine. No more arguments from me about this. I really don’t think I’m going to fit in here though. I mean a charity fundraiser is a bit…” She trailed off, shrugging her shoulders.   
  
“Full of pasty rich assholes? Boring as hell? Yeah, I’d rather be anywhere else. I wonder who’s going to be there.” Maki paced across the room to her laptop and picked up the pamphlet. She read through it silently, her eyes widening. “The Sonodas and Amagis are invited. The Suzuharus’ are going to be there…”  
  
Eli tried to place them but couldn’t. “Who are they?”  
  
“Suzuharu Jun. One of my childhood suitors and the most obnoxious.” Maki tossed the pamphlet aside in disgust. “He thinks he’s entitled to everything. Including me.”  
  
“Entitled to you?!” Eli echoed in disbelief. “Right, that’s it. If he lays even one hand on you, I swear…”  
  
“Oh so now you want to go?” Maki asked in amusement.   
  
“If it means keeping him away from you, damn right I want to go.” Eli said, getting to her feet. “I need to go and find a dress to wear.”  
  
“Eli, it’s not for another week.”  
  
“I don’t care. If I’m going to look good enough to be by your side I need to find a decent dress.” Eli said firmly. There was no way she’d lose to this suitor.   
  
“Wait…” Maki grabbed Eli’s hand as the blonde made to leave. “Have you seen yourself? I mean…you look like you belong there more than I do. If everyone didn’t know who I am, that is. Trust me, you don’t need a fancy dress. I do have a request though…”  
  
“Oh?” Eli asked curiously. “What is it?”  
  
“Wear your hair down. You look really pretty with your hair down.” Maki gently drew Eli closer to her and pecked her on the lips. “And let me take that dress off you afterwards.”  
  
“Now who’s a perv?” Eli tried to act unaffected but she couldn’t deny the way her chest fluttered with excitement.   
  
“Maybe I am…” Maki purred, pressing herself as close as she could to Eli. “Maybe I’ll even wear what I bought when I went shopping with Honoka last sunday. Just for the afterparty at least…”  
  
Eli didn’t have an answer for that. In fact she was fairly certain her brain just short-circuited and she could only gape at Maki in surprise. “Li-Like um…” She cleared her throat, realizing she was about to embarrass herself. “What kind of…thing did you buy?”  
  
“It’s a secret.” Maki grinned and playfully prodded Eli’s cheek. “You’re blushing.”  
  
“I’m not! I’m just…ugh, forget about it. Come here.” Eli grabbed the front of Maki’s shirt and pulled her into a deep kiss, quickly backing them up to the bed. “I really hope I locked the door…”  
  
“I did that for you.” Maki mumbled against Eli’s lips.   
  
“Fuck, I love you.” Eli muttered back, threading her hands into Maki’s hair as they tumbled back onto the bed behind them.   
  
—  
“Have you found anything yet?” Eli asked as she watched Nozomi rummaging around in her closet in search of something for her to wear. They were sitting in her bedroom, Eli having invited Nozomi over while she was at school. “It needs to be perfect.”  
  
Nozomi gave a soft laugh in response. “You sure are fired up about this, Elichi…”  
  
“Eh…kind of. I’m going because she promised to go with me to a chocolate fair in a few weeks. Besides, apparently there’s a guy at the party who’s also her childhood suitor?” Eli shook her head in aggravated disbelief. “I need to keep the entitled jerk away from her.”  
  
“Oh right, her family is rich. I always forget about that.” Nozomi tossed a light blue dress onto the bed next to Eli. “I guess she must get that a lot. Suitors and marriage interviews, I mean. She must hate it, what with her being…well gay.”  
  
“I hate it and I only just heard about it.” Eli muttered darkly, looking down at her bare feet. “At least with me there the guy will get nowhere near her.”  
  
“Like a knight in shining armor.” Nozomi observed teasingly as she went back to rummaging. “That’s sweet.”   
  
“Well I’m no Umi, but I try I guess…” Eli answered with a sigh. “What about you? Are you…doing anything with Nico?”  
  
“Besides the two of us being confined to my bed? Not really.” Nozomi answered cheekily. She stepped out of the walk in closet with two more dresses, red and black in color. “I think you should go with the blue. Blue looks good on you. Are you going to wear your hair down?”  
  
“Yeah, Maki said I should…” Eli idly reached up, touching her ponytail. “I’ll wear the blue dress, like you said. Thank you, Nozomi.”  
  
“It’s fine.” Nozomi said with a shake of her head. She went to perch on the bed next to Eli and lightly bumped her shoulder. “You’ll fit right in.”  
  
“That’s what Maki said…” Eli said with a shrug of her shoulders. “Do you mind if I ask you something?”  
  
“Sure, go ahead.” Nozomi said with a reassuring smile. She could tell that Eli was nervous, just by watching her. “What is it?”  
  
“It’s about…college. I’ve been thinking about it for a while. What might happen when we all graduate.” Eli chanced a glance at Nozomi and found that she was listening intently, a sincere look on her face. “Well, I was just wondering…I know we’ve been talking a lot more recently a-and I feel like we might be getting back to normal. Back to being best friends. Um…so I was wondering if we’d still be able t-to see each other after we graduate. Maybe just for coffee every now and then.”  
  
“We can have coffee together every morning if you want. You, me and Nicocchi. And we can ‘meet up’ for dinner every night if you want.” Nozomi said with a soft smile.   
  
“Wait…w-what are you saying?” Eli shook her head, trying to figure out what Nozomi was implying.   
  
“Elichi, you’re my best friend. Do you really think I’d let you live alone? We agreed, remember?” Nozomi lightly touched Eli’s arm and watched as her friend’s eyes welled up with tears. “Hey, hey…don’t cry. It’s…” She trailed off as Eli threw her arms around her, hugging her tightly.  She laughed quietly to herself and gently hugged Eli back. “You’re such a sap…”  
  
“I can’t help it.” Eli choked out, struggling to stop her tears. “I-I just didn’t think…we’d actually be friends again after…after I…and now we are and…”  
  
“Oh jeez, you’re blubbering…” Nozomi gently rubbed Eli’s back, waiting patiently for her to calm down. After a few minutes, Eli pulled away, rubbing at her eyes.   
  
“I’m sorry, I’m just…so happy. And relieved. I just have to worry about Maki now…”  
  
“Worry about her?” Nozomi echoed in surprise. “Why? I mean if you’re worried about me feeling weird if she comes over, I won’t be. I’m trying to…be okay with it. I am okay with it, I just need a bit more time to be…better with it, I guess? But I won’t keep her from coming over. In fact I think it’s a good idea if she does.”  
  
“I actually just meant…it’ll be hard not seeing her all of the time.” Eli said sheepishly. “I’ll see her a lot less than I do now. I’ll be busy with college and studying and who knows how long it would even take her to get to where we live. I mean…what if it’s too much? God, I shouldn’t even be talking to you about this…”  
  
“I’ll make sure we get somewhere close to Akihabara.” Nozomi promised with a roll of her eyes. “Relax, Elichi. We’re best friends. We can talk about this stuff now. Sure, it’s not what we were imagining a year ago but I think we’ve both moved on enough. So stop worrying and tell me what you’re thinking…”  
  
Eli wasn’t sure but she continued anyway. “I’m thinking…that Maki might not want a part-time girlfriend. Or a relationship with that much distance.”    
  
“You’re an idiot. Maki obviously loves you or she wouldn’t have stayed with you through all of this crap.” Nozomi said pointedly. “And look at it this way, she’s going to be busy with school. It’s not easy to get into Tokyo U pre-med. She’ll probably be going to cram school too…”  
  
Eli smiled to herself at the answer. “Yeah, she’s so smart…”  
  
“Elichi, focus.” Nozomi lightly flicked Eli’s forehead. “I can’t talk to you seriously when you’re fawning over your girlfriend. As I was saying, you’re both going to be busy and she’ll understand. You can skype. And you’ll see her on the weekend. Unless you decide to part every night…”  
  
“I’d rather be with Maki.” Eli said hurriedly. “She’ll sleep over. I’ll make sure I have time. She sleeps over at my house on the weekdays all the time now so it’ll be fine. Just not when I have exams. We can study together if we have to.”  
  
“There. You have your solution.” Nozomi said smugly. “ I told you it would…” She trailed off as her phone rang. Quickly plucking it from her pocket she found that Nico was calling her. “Oh sorry, It’s just Nicocchi.”  
  
She answered the phone, turning partially away from Eli. “Hey Nicocchi…”  
  
“Are you done with helping the moron yet? I’m making dinner.”  
  
Nozomi wasn’t surprised to hear Nico was at her apartment. She’d given her the spare key a few weeks ago. “Oh? What are you making?”  
  
“My famous curry. So you’d better hurry up and get here already.”  
  
Nozomi smirked and lowered her voice. “Well you need to motivate me. What are you wearing?”  
  
Nico released an irritated sigh. “An apron.”  
  
“Anything under it?” Nozomi asked hopefully.   
  
“NOZOMI! JUST GET OVER HERE FOR DINNER ALREADY!”  
  
“Fine, fine. I’ll see you soon, Nicocchi.” Nozomi hung up the call and turned to Eli who was pretending not to listen. “I have to go, Elichi. I’ll see you tomorrow?”  
  
“Sure.” Eli said with a small smile. She got up when Nozomi did. “Nozomi?”  
  
Nozomi turned only to find herself engulfed in another tight hug. She returned it just as enthusiastically.   
  
“I’m so glad you’re happy.” Eli whispered sincerely. “And thank you for everything you’ve done. What you said earlier.”  
  
“Don’t get sappy on me again.” Nozomi teased, giving Eli another brief squeeze before she pulled away. “But I’m glad you’re…happy too.”  
  
“Thank you.” Eli said, doing her best not to tear up again. “I’m gonna call Maki and tell her I have everything ready. Thanks for all of the help.”  
  
Nozomi waved her off as she crossed to the door. “It’s what friends do.”  
  
—-  
  
“Are you sure you don’t want to just stay in the council room?” Umi asked, glancing over at Honoka. “You don’t have to come with me, I’m just picking up some forms.”  
  
“I want to. I don’t want you to go alone and I really don’t want to be alone with Kotori-chan right now…” Honoka said with a shrug of her shoulders. “Do you not want me to come?”  
  
“Of course I do.” Umi reached out and took Honoka’s hand. “I’m glad you’re here, I just didn’t want you to feel obligated or anything.”  
  
“Well I…” Honoka paused as something caught her attention. “Wait, is someone playing No Brand Girl?”  


“Yeah.” Umi grinned and tugged at Honoka’s hand, urging her to keep going. “I actually have a…friend I want you to meet.”  
  
“Oh?” Honoka asked curiously as Umi tugged her into a room. When she saw who Umi was talking about her face fell. “Oh…”  
  
She recognized the girl immediately as the first year who had confessed to Umi. She looked different, dressed in a blank tanktop rather than her school shirt but there was no denying who she was.   
  
“Please give her a chance. She’s more than the rumors say…” Umi said hopefully, giving Honoka’s hand another light squeeze.   
  
Hibiki looked up at the sound of someone’s voice. “Umi-tan!” She exclaimed, hopping down from her stool. “You came! And you brought Hocchi! You don’t mind if I call you that, right?”  
  
“Eh?!” Honoka stepped back slightly as the girl approached. “Hocchi? What…?” She looked over the girl, noticing the piercings in her ears and the fact that she was wearing white chucks with little designs on them. “I’m confused…”  
  
“It’s normal to be confused with an artist.” Hibiki grinned. She walked to her school bag, rummaging through it for a moment before she took out some sweet bread and tossed it at Honoka who barely managed to catch. “I was going to eat it for lunch but forgot. Umi-tan says you like bread?”  
  
“Thank you, um…?”  
  
“Oh. It’s Hibiki. But you can call me whatever you want.” Hibiki pulled a couple of forms from her bag and handed them to Umi. “Your forms, Fuku-Kaichou…”  
  
“Thanks.” Umi smiled at the formality and took the forms, casting a quick glance at Honoka who still looked bewildered.   
  
“So…if you call me Hocchi, can I call you um…” Honoka seemed to think for a moment, tossing ideas around in her head. “Biki-chan?”  
  
“Biki…” Hibiki smiled brightly at the suggestion. “That’s so cute! Okay, sure. You can call me that if you want. Umi-tan, you could…”  
  
Umi shook her head. “I’m sticking with Hibiki. Your name is fine as it is.”  
  
Hibiki pouted and crossed her arms in front of her. “You’re no fun…”  
  
“Umi-chan’s never been any fun.” Honoka said, flashing a teasing smile at Umi. “That’s not to say she’s not fun to be around though.”  
  
“Oh, you’re wearing a ring too!” Hibiki exclaimed, noticing the ring hanging from a chain around Honoka’s neck. “Do you mind if I take a look?”  
  
“Uh…” Honoka almost took a wary step back but then Hibiki was in front of her, carefully holding the ring between two nail polished fingers.   
  
“Oooh you have nice taste!”  
  
“Well um…Maki-chan helped me pick them out.” Honoka said hesitantly. “So it’s kind of her taste, not mine.”  
  
“Well you had good enough taste to say yes to them.” Hibiki dropped the ring and took a step back. “I figure you got it in Shibuya, right? I got my charm there too.” She held up the charm hanging from her necklace for Honoka to see.   
  
“Um…Biki-chan?” Honoka felt a bit guilty as bright eyes turned to her. “Didn’t you like Umi-chan?”  
  
“Oh yeah, but she rejected me so that’s over now. I had my hunches that I would, you know?” Hibiki shrugged her shoulders. “Besides, I think being her friend would be better. Especially if I can seduce the hot Kaichou or Treasury-san.”  
  
“Okay, I’ve had enough of your flirting.” Umi took Honoka’s hand and pulled her close to her side. “Honoka’s not available. Not at all.”  
  
“Relax, I won’t go after Hocchi.” Hibiki said with a reassuring smile. “She’s off limits. I get it already.”  
  
“Oooh.” Honoka pulled away from Umi and crossed the room to the easel Hibiki had been sitting in front of. There was a half finished painting sitting there. “This is awesome!”  
  
“Oh, you like it?” Hibiki walked up behind Honoka, to look at her painting. “It’s an unfinished painting of a traditional japanese landscape.  With a brighter flare. I’ve been trying pointillism but damn is it hard…”  
  
Umi leaned back against the door behind her, watching with a small smile as Honoka leaned forward to get a better look. She was glad the two of them were getting along so well.   
  
—-

Eli was beyond nervous. She was standing outside of the hotel the charity fundraiser was to take place in and she was sure it was the grandest hotel she’d ever seen. She felt truly out of place. She checked her watch. Maki wasn’t late but she still wasn’t there and it was making her even more nervous. “Ugh, why did I get here so early…?”  
  
“Are you lost?”  
  
Eli looked around at the sound of a male voice. “Huh?”  
  
“Over here, idiot.”  
  
“Who are you calling…?” Eli trailed off as she looked up and met the bright hazel eyes of a young man with slick back dark hair. He was tall, wearing a black suit. He looked to be at least 5’10. Maybe 5’11. “Uh…”  
  
“Charmed. Are you here for the fundraiser? I’ve never seen you around before. Are you friends with Nishikino?”  
  
“Uh…”  
  
“You’re not very ladylike.” The man said, seemingly amused. “Could it be that you’re just a foreigner?”  
  
“Hey, I’m half Japanese!” Eli exclaimed, affronted.   
  
“Oh so your hair is natural.”   
  
“And why would that be a problem?” Eli asked defensively, taking a step back.   
  
“It’s not, I just prefer pure Japanese girls. Not…” The young man looked Eli over in distaste. “Where are you from anyway?”  
  
“That’s not your business!” Eli’s cheeks flushed red with anger. “And I didn’t ask you for your opinion of me. Maybe you should keep them to yourself.”  
  
“Jun, back off!”  
  
Eli breathed a sigh of relief as Maki appeared at her side. She hadn’t even noticed her coming. She had been too wrapped up in her argument with the obtuse boy in front of her. “Wait…”  
  
“Ah, my dear Maki-san. Looks like we’re here together again.” The young man suddenly looked especially happy and Eli growled in annoyance.   
  
“Shut it, you were being a jerk to my girlfriend, weren’t you?” Maki scowled angrily and reached back for Eli’s hand. She didn’t look away from Jun but thankfully she felt Eli slip her hand into hers.   
  
“Girlfriend? This…halfling is your girlfriend?”  
  
“Yes, she is. And if you have a problem, I’ll step on your toes. Making it real hard for you to dance…” Maki warned angrily.   
  
“You were always a feisty one, Maki-san. But I’ll stop. Still, she isn’t my type at all. What are you, American?”  
  
“Russian.” Eli answered through gritted teeth. She turned toward Maki, lowering her voice. “If I don’t leave, I might hit him.”  
  
Maki bit her lip, not quite managing to bite back a smile. “Alright, let’s go inside.” She turned back to Jun, narrowing her eyes. “Jun we’re going inside. Don’t follow us.”

  
Jun scoffed. “You can’t tell me what to do, Maki-san. Remember our fathers might arrange a marriage between us…despite your little phase.”  
  
Maki clenched her hand into a fist and would have stepped forward to punch Jun had Eli not dragged her away. “Fuck! He’s such an entitled bastard.”  
  
“Cool it with the cursing, Maki.” Eli said, soothingly rubbing the back of Maki’s hand. “Let’s just relax and try to have a good night together, okay? We’ll just stay away from him. Let me buy you a drink.”  
  
“Alcoholic?” Maki asked dryly.   
  
Eli laughed as she stepped into the hotel with Maki though it quickly died on her lips. “Holy shit, this place is huge.” She looked around, noticing the red decor with gold trims. There were more paintings on the wall than she could count. All traditional Japanese.   
  
“Language.” Maki let go of Eli’s hand and tangled her arm with Eli’s instead, pressing close to her side. “I really do want something alcoholic to drink though…”  
  
“You’re fifteen!” Eli pointed out incredulously.   
  
Maki shrugged her shoulders. “Papa lets me drink. I have a high tolerance…”  
  
Eli sighed and rolled her eyes as she led Maki further into the hotel. Noticing everyone entering a large room, she followed and immediately spotted a huge stage. “Rich girls…”  
  
“Isn’t your grandmother rich? I mean she was a famous dancer in Russia, wasn’t she?” Maki asked skeptically.   
  
Eli winced. “I mean…yeah. But can we not talk about obaa-san?” She reluctantly explained when Maki looked confused. “In Russia they’re more strict about…us than they are here. Surprisingly.”  
  
“Oh, yeah. I see that.” Maki bit her lip guiltily, noticing that Eli seemed a bit down now. “Um…”  
  
“Anyway!” Eli seemed to force herself to brighten up. “Shall we go, my dear?”  
  
“Eli!”  
  
Eli turned around as someone called her name and found Umi, Honoka and another girl standing behind her. Umi, who had been the one to call her name, was dressed in a traditional Kimono while Honoka was wearing a pale pink gown. The shorter girl whom she didn’t recognize was wearing a dark blue and black ruffle dress.   
  
“Oh hey Umi, you look…nice. You too, Honoka. You scrub up well.” Eli teased, flashing Honoka a grin. “I’m surprised you’re here though. I didn’t really think these fundraisers would be your thing.”  
  
“I could say the same thing to you.” Honoka countered, glancing back at Umi who was hovering a little behind her. “Umi-chan made me come because she hates these things.”  
  
“Same with Maki.” Eli gave Maki a gentle squeeze. “These things aren’t what I’d call fun at all. I’d rather be at home right now.”  
  
“Shit, I really wish I had my paint and canvas right now.” Hibiki said excitedly as she watched Honoka press herself closer to Umi in response to Eli’s gesture. She shrugged when they turned to look at her. “What? You’re all so gay, it’s beautiful! Oh, sorry. I’m Amagi Hibiki by the way. Umi-tan’s friend.”  
  
Maki didn’t have time to ask what the ‘Umi-tan’ was about when she was called over by her dad. She huffed out a sigh and pulled away from Eli. “Sorry. I’ll be right back.” She walked away, muttering to herself. “If he shoves me with another one of his colleague’s sons, I fucking swear…”  
  
Eli watched Maki go with a frown on her face. When she looked back to where Honoka was standing, the girl was gone and Umi was nowhere in sight either. Instead a tall, redheaded, freckled faced young man wearing a dark blue suit was standing in front of her. Eli took a wary step back, remembering her encounter with Jun outside. “Um…”  
  
“Oh, I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to startle you.” The young man said, holding up his hands. He smiled sheepishly and shrugged his shoulders. “I just couldn’t help but notice that you’re a…well…”  
  
Eli huffed out a sigh. She’d had just about enough of this. “Foreigner. Yeah, yeah. I get it. I’m part Russian if that’s your next question.”  
  
“Oh, I wasn’t going to…I’m sorry, I think we got off on the wrong foot. My name is Dekomori Kenneth. I’m not from here either and people keep giving me odd looks so I was wondering if it would be okay for me to talk to you for a while.” Kenneth laughed and awkwardly rubbed the back of his neck.   
  
“I guess…that’s fine. I’m Ayase Eli. It’s nice to meet you.” Eli awkwardly held out her hand and Kenneth took it, giving it a light shake. “So where are you from? If you don’t mind me asking. You’re probably tired of people asking you that.”  
  
Across the room, Maki watched, half paying attention to her father as he introduced her to a boy she’d yet to bother making eye contact with. She gritted her teeth as she watched the redhead Eli was speaking to hold her hand a little too long for her liking.   
  
“Oh. Well I’m half Irish.” Kenneth answered as Eli let go of his hand. “To be honest, I was happy when I noticed you over here.”  
  
Eli wasn’t sure what to say to that so she settled for nodding.   
  
Kenneth cleared his throat. “Um…I noticed you were here with Nishikino-san. I can’t wait to hear her play later. She truly is a gifted musician.”  
  
“Yeah, she…wait, what?” Eli frowned in confusion. “Maki’s playing later? I…didn’t know that.” She looked around for Maki but she couldn’t see her. “I wonder why she didn’t tell me…”  
  
“Sorry, I have a habit of putting my foot in my mouth.” Kenneth seemed to blush as red as his hair. “You two seem close. Maybe she just wanted to surprise you or something like that.”  
  
“Maybe…” Eli mused, biting her lip. “I don’t know. It seems like something she would do. So who are you he-” She trailed off as Maki finally came into view. “Maki, you’re back.”  
  
“Yep.” Maki stepped over to Eli and leaned up, kissing her cheek, right next to her lips. She glanced at the redhead she’d been glaring at for the past five or so minutes. “Goodbye, Dekomori-san.”  
  
“Wha…?” Kenneth’s eyes widened in surprise. “I’m sorry, I seem to have done something wrong. My apologies. It was nice meeting you, Ayase-san.”  
  
He rushed off and Eli turned to Maki with a frown. “Maki! Why would you do that? He just wanted someone to spend time with, that’s all. He seemed nice.”  
  
“I’m not just going to let some guy flirt with my girlfriend!” Maki exclaimed indignantly. “You’re mine. And I’m yours and there’s nothing anyone can damn well do to get between us, especially some idiot boys we don’t know!”  
  
“I know that.” Eli soothingly placed her hands on Maki’s shoulders. “You really hate these things, don’t you?”  
  
“Of course I hate these things.” Maki said bitterly. “I feel like a puppet, having to entertain for these people. I know it’s about politics and it’s about the charity but…ugh. I hate it. I hate feeling like I’m being paraded around, forced to meet people I don’t want to meet. I really hate being rich sometimes, I wish I could be anywhere but here.”  
  
“We can. Let’s just go.” Eli grinned at the look of astonishment that appeared on Maki’s face in wake of her words. “Come on, nobody will notice. Just for a few minutes?”  
  
Maki was torn. She looked between her father and her mother before sighing. “You know I can’t…”  
  
Eli pursed her lips and looked around the room, trying to figure out an escape route. Noticing the buffet table, she grinned as an idea came to mind. She had seen this in a romance movie she’d watched with Arisa the previous week. “I have an idea, come on!”  
  
Before Maki could argue she was being tugged over to the buffet table. When Eli ducked under it, she had no choice but to follow suit. The tablecloth fell into place behind her. “What are we doing?” She hissed. “This is crazy!”  
  
“You wanted to get out, right?” Eli asked expectantly. “This way we’re not at the party but we’re still present. It’s just you and me right now though…”  
  
Maki felt tears prickle at her eyes. “You sure know how to make a girl cry…”  
  
Eli’s eyes widened as Maki threw her arms around her. She barely managed to keep her balance on her hands but she was quick to hug Maki back. Her eyes caught on something red and black on Maki’s shoulder. “I-Is that  your bra strap?”  
  
“Afterparty, remember?” Maki pulled back, chuckling. She leaned in and pressed her lips to Eli, feeling the familiar nerves that always came with kissing her in a public setting before she calmed down. She pulled back, lightly brushing Eli’s hair back from her face. “I love you.”  
  
“I love you too.” Eli smiled softly, turning to press a kiss to the hand that lingered on her cheek. “But…what brought this on? Not that I’m complaining but…”  
  
Maki shrugged. “I just want you to know. You make me so calm, just being here with you makes me calm.”  
  
Eli grinned at the praise. “I’m glad I can be of help.”  
  
The sound of music caught Maki’s attention. “Do you want to dance?”  
  
Eli looked sceptical. “In here?”  
  
Maki laughed at the question. “No, you idiot.” She kissed Eli again, chuckling gently against her lips. “Out there. I want to dance with you.”  
  
“Are you sure? I don’t want to piss your dad off or make things hard for you.” Eli said in concern. “Maybe we could find another room and…”  
  
“ _Eli_!” Maki pouted and Eli had to bite back a smile. “Come on, please. I just want to dance with my girlfriend. Just once, I promise. Please?”  
  
“You’re so not playing fair.” Eli muttered as she got out from under the table, Maki emerging right behind her. Thankfully nobody noticed. Quickly they straightened out their dresses before Maki took charge and led Eli to the dancefloor.   
  
“You’ll lead?” Maki whispered, pointedly ignoring the looks they were receiving in favor of focusing on Eli’s eyes.   
  
“Of course.” Eli smiled back and placed her right hand on Maki’s back, just below her shoulder blades. She felt Maki’s right hand slip into her left and a hand come to rest on her shoulder.   
  
—-  
  
Honoka smiled and rested her chin on her open palm as she watched Eli begin to lead Maki in their dance. It was beyond romantic, she thought with a sigh.   
  
“So she’s really gonna come out of the closet.” Hibiki remarked, leaning back in her seat. “She’s braver than me and Umi-tan…”  
  
Honoka turned to her with a frown. “Umi-chan and I are going to get married.”  
  
“Whoa, what?!” Hibiki had been tipping back on her seat and almost fell back. She would have had she not grasped the table in time. “Seriously…?”  
  
“Honoka…” Umi sighed though she looked happy with the comment rather than upset.   
  
“Can I be your maid of honor?” Hibiki grinned.   
  
“Kotori-chan is…” Honoka paused, her eyes widening slightly. She hadn’t even thought before she’d said that. It had just come out. She wasn’t even speaking to Kotori at the minute. She swallowed thickly against the lump in her throat. “You might have to fight Eli-senpai for it…”  
  
Umi reached over and took Honoka’s hand, giving it a supportive squeeze.   
  
“Okay then. Best girl?” Hibiki noticed the sudden serious turn and decided to lighten the mood. “Please? Please, please, please?”  
  
“Fine!” Umi groaned and rolled her eyes. “You’ll have to do something deserving of the title though.”  
  
Hibiki was just thinking about what she could do and Umi was about to ask Honoka if she was alright when a male voice caught her attention.   
  
“So Nishikino really is a dyke. Figures. She always did seem weird as a kid.”  
  
Umi looked up to see Suzuharu Jun standing near their table, staring at Maki and Eli with disgust on his face. She was about to tell him to be quiet when Honoka shot to her feet. Icy dread washed over her but she didn’t have time to move. Honoka was already rushing toward him and before Umi could do anything, she had punched him square in the jaw, sending him stumbling onto a nearby table.   
  
“Oh shit.” Surprisingly, Hibiki jumped into the fray, grabbing Honoka by the back of her gown  and hauling her back. Unfortunately Honoka wasn’t going to be deterred and struggled, managing to elbow Hibiki in the chin. Hibiki cried out in pain and let go of Honoka, her eyes watering. “Shit…”  
  
Luckily, Umi managed to get up and grab Honoka before she could move.   
  
The music abruptly cut off as Jun finally managed to get off the table. “What the hell, bitch?!”  
  
“Shut up, you bastard!” Honoka was seething, her eyes alight with rage.   
  
“Umi, what on earth is going on?!”   
  
Umi looked up in time to see that her mother had rushed to the table in concern. “Um…”  
  
“Sonoda-san, what is your daughter’s guest doing?!” Umi wasn’t sure who said that but she didn’t care to check. “She hurt Amagi-san’s daughter!”  
  
“That’s not all she did.” Jun angrily pointed to his bleeding lip. “They really do just let any nobody in here, don’t they?!”  
  
“What an ill behaved girl…” Someone mused thoughtfully.   
  
“Don’t talk about her like that!” Umi snapped angrily though she didn’t notice who had said it. She heard someone come up behind her and looked over, ready to tell them to back off. It was only Maki and Eli though. The each took one of Honoka’s arms and pulled her away from Umi, quickly leading the way outside of the hotel. Hurriedly, Umi followed.   
  
The four of them stayed silent as Maki steered Honoka around the corner of the hotel. Maki pressed Honoka back against the wall so they could stay hidden. She opened her mouth to yell at her but paused, noticing she was in tears. “What the hell happened back there? Why did you do that?”  
  
Honoka silently shook her head as Umi appeared at her side.   
  
“Damn it, Honoka.” Umi muttered, glancing back over her shoulder to make sure nobody had followed.   
  
“Honoka, why did you do that?” Eli asked again, firmer than Maki had. “You need to tell us so we can understand!”  
  
“I did it for Maki-chan!” Honoka exclaimed loudly. She pressed her hand to her mouth, trying to choke back a sob. “He deserved it! He was saying really mean things about you and I didn’t want to hear it! He doesn’t know you, h-he had no right!”  
  
Maki softened at how upset Honoka seemed to be. And on her behalf at that. “Honoka…” She trailed off as she heard footsteps approaching. She looked up in time to see her father rounding the corner. “Papa…”  
  
“I think it’s best if you go home for the rest of the evening.” Jin said, pausing a few feet from the group of girls. “You’ve caused just about enough problems for the night.”  
  
“Are you…?” Maki trailed off, at a loss. “Is that all you care about? My grades and my status? Papa, I’m sick of being treated like this. You know I’m dating someone and it’s not a phase. I’m…in love. I’m in love with her.” She blindly grasped for Eli’s hand. “I’m gay. I’ve never been interested in boys and I’m certainly never going to marry one!”  
  
“You’re only acting like this because you’re in an all girl’s school.” Jin said with a weary shake of his head. “After all, it all started with an affair in school.”   
  
“No, I’m not! Even when I’m in college, I’ll prefer women!” Maki retorted in frustration. “Do you really think Eli is the only girl I’ve ever liked? She’s not! I even liked girls in junior high and it was a co-ed school. It’s NOT A PHASE!”  
  
Jin was silent for a moment, contemplating what to say. “Maki, please think about what you’re saying. We are not in North America or Europe.”  
  
“I know that!” Maki’s voice was choked with emotion but otherwise firm. “I’m sick of hiding who I am and letting people think this is nothing. It isn’t nothing to me!”  
  
Jin sighed. He could see that Maki was getting increasingly upset. He looked to Eli, causing her eyes to widen in alarm. It amused him slightly, that the girl seemed intimidated by him. He supposed he should feel like that. He would want anyone pursuing Maki to be intimidated by him. “Ayase.”  
  
“Y-Yes sir!” Eli squeaked, straightening up.   
  
“Take care of my daughter tonight. I’ll try to keep people from speaking about what happened this evening.” Jin’s gaze flicked to Maki who looked close to tears. He could tell that she would be much better off with her friends tonight. With her girlfriend. “Just please protect her.” He turned his attention to Umi next. “As for you, Sonoda-san, I’ll leave it to your parents to speak to you about your guest’s…misbehavior.”   
  
He turned to walk away but paused after a couple of steps. “Kousaka-san. I would never say that violence is right but I understand you were defending my daughter. I appreciate that.”  
  
“Uh…” Honoka stared after Jin as he disappeared around the corner. “I thought that would be a lot worse…” She wiped quickly at her tearstained cheeks. “Maki-chan, I-I’m sorry. I was just…after what happened at school two months ago, I-I never want to hear anyone bullying you again.”  
  
“You idiot.” Maki let go of Eli’s hand and stormed over to Honoka, hugging her fiercely. Every time she’d been targeted by someone, Honoka had jumped to her defence without a second thought. It was easy to see why Eli admired her so much. “You damn idiot.”   
  
She felt Umi and Eli join the hug, embracing them both tightly but she made no effort to pull away. She was too spent, both physically and emotionally.   
  
“Hey are you guys okay?”  
  
Eli, Umi and Maki stepped away and Honoka looked toward the corner, seeing Hibiki walking toward them. “Oh god, Biki-chan, I’m so…”  
  
“Eh, it’s nothing.” Hibiki briefly touched her jaw. “I got the asshole to tell me what he said after you left. Then I punched him again. Now he’s crying because I broke his nose or whatever but man is his face made out of metal or what?” She held up her right hand, showing her grazed and bleeding knuckles.   
  
—  
  
Nico watched as Kotori picked at the food on her plate, her eyes downcast. She’d barely taken two bites. “Could you please stop moping and eat something? You’re going to make yourself sick.”  
  
“I can’t.” Kotori looked up at Nico. She felt like she couldn’t swallow past the lump in her throat. “Honoka-chan hasn’t spoken to me in two weeks. A-And Umi-chan keeps asking me if I’m alright and I just…” She trailed off, biting her lip as she looked down at her food. “I’m sorry, Nico-chan. Your cooking is lovely but I can’t.”  
  
Nozomi sighed and put down her chopsticks. “Where are they anyway?”  
  
Kotori shrugged her shoulders. “Umi-chan had to attend a fundraiser. I don’t know where Honoka-chan is.”  
  
“You’re going to have to apologize even if you don’t want to.” Nico pointed out. “You shouldn’t have confessed when…”  
  
“I know, I know!” Kotori exclaimed irritably. She’d heard it from Nico a hundred times already. “I know, okay? Shit, I haven’t even told Umi-chan about it. She’s probably going to ignore me after that. She should already be ignoring me…”  
  
“It’s good that you realize what you did to her was wrong.” Nozomi said with an approving nod of her head. “You just have to prove you really are sorry.”  
  
“Umi-chan is sorry too.” Kotori muttered, scuffing her foot against the floor. “She keeps saying that. She should be sorry.”  
  
“Look why don’t we just relax and watch a movie?” Nozomi suggested hopefully. “Kotori-chan, you need to stop thinking about this so much. If you obsess over it it’s going to drive you crazy.”  
  
“I guess…” Kotori mumbled though she couldn’t help but want to talk about it.   
  
“I’ll go and find a movie.” Nozomi stood up and squeezed Kotori’s shoulder before she walked out of the room, calling over her shoulder. “Nicocchi, don’t you dare touch those dishes!”  
  
Nico scoffed and shook her head, standing up and reaching for the dishes.   
  
“NICOCCHI!”  
  
“Ugh, how does she do that…?” Nico muttered, rolling her eyes. She set the dishes down and glanced over at Kotori. “Come on. I guess she’ll take care of the dishes later.”  
  
“R-Right!” Kotori stood up though she hesitated to move. “Um…why are you still being nice to me?”  
  
“I don’t know.” Nico sighed. “Just because you were being ignorant and selfish that doesn’t mean they weren’t. Still I’m not as mad at them as I was with Eli. They were wrong but it was inevitable.”  
  
Kotori nodded and finally followed Nico through into the other room. Nozomi was sitting in the middle of the couch, a movie just starting up on the TV screen. She patted the seats at each side of her, summoning them over. “Turn the lights off, Nicocchi. I found a horror movie.”  
  
“Great.” Nico groaned though she obediently turned the lights out before she moved to the couch. She sat at one side of Nozomi, leaning close to her while Kotori quietly took the other side.   
  
Kotori watched the two as the movie started, taking note of the way Nico shifted closer to Nozomi until she was practically pressed against her. In turn, Nozomi’s arm went around Nico’s shoulders though she didn’t say anything. She didn’t even tease her like Kotori had thought she would.   
  
Nico’s head came to rest on Nozomi’s shoulder and Kotori’s brow furrowed. She wanted to ask them if they were together but before she had a chance, a scream rang out from the tv. It didn’t especially startle her. What did startle her was the answering shriek from Nico. She looked to the screen, noticing the ghost emerging from a painting. She giggled as she looked back at Nico, finding she’d buried her face in Nozomi’s chest.   
  
“Nicocchi, are you okay?” Nozomi asked, struggling to hide her amusement.   
  
“Y-Yeah, it’s just…you know I hate this stuff.” Nico peeked at the screen only to let out another yelp and hide her face again.   
  
“Should I turn it off?” Nozomi gently rubbed Nico’s back to soothe her.   
  
“N-No, just keep doing that. I’ll be fine…” Nico let out a shuddering sigh and tried to turn back to the movie.   
  
“If I’d known you were this scared of horror movies I’d have offered to hold your hand, Nico-chan.” Kotori said, a slightly teasing tone to her voice.   
  
Nico was about to snap at her for teasing her but hesitated, realizing that Kotori was making an effort to cheer herself up. “I’m fine. Unless you’re scared?”  
  
“A little.” Kotori lied, averting her eyes briefly to the TV screen. “I mean I’ll be fine though…”  
  
“I guess it can’t be helped then…” Nico sighed and got up from the couch, switching spaces with Nozomi. She pressed herself close to Nozomi again but held out her hand to Kotori who took it and held it carefully.   
  
“I’m not gonna break you know.” Nico said with a roll of her eyes, tightening her grip on Kotori’s hand. Kotori tightened hers in response.  
  
“Nicocchi is so sweet.” Nozomi whispered in Nico’s ear, causing her to blush brightly in response.   
  
“Yeah, whatever. Just shut up…”  
  
“Both of you are cute.” Kotori observed with a soft smile. They would make a good couple, she thought. If they weren’t already.   
  
“Ugh, both of you shut up!” Nico exclaimed.   
  
“Fine. Sorry, Nicocchi.” Nozomi pressed her lips just behind Nico’s ear, causing her to shudder slightly.   
  
Kotori had been watching them and had noticed Nozomi’s gesture. Her eyes widened in realization and she quickly turned back to the movie. So they were together. That certainly explained a lot. “Um, I was thinking maybe I should go home tonight. I know you said I should stay over but maybe I should…”  
  
“Stay over? Sure.” Nozomi looked past Nico at Kotori. “It’s Friday and you told your mom so it’s no big deal, right? Besides, if you leave me along with Nicocchi she might take advantage.”  
  
Nico scoffed. “Screw you.” She said, her tone light.   
  
“See?” Nozomi smirked. “Come on, just stay. We want you to stay, right Nicocchi? We can stay up watching movies until we fall asleep.”  
  
“Of course we do. We offered, didn’t we?” Nico agreed, glancing at Kotori. “You’re staying.”  
  
“O-Okay…” Kotori leaned back against the couch with a small smile. At least she still had Nico and Nozomi.   
  
—  
  
“Arisa is sleeping over at Honoka’s so we shouldn’t be interrupted tonight.” Eli said as she stepped into her apartment, Maki’s hand in her own. She glanced back as Maki paused to close the door behind them. She couldn’t help but notice how drained Maki still looked. “Do you want something to drink? I could make coffee.”  
  
Maki shook her head and looked up at Eli. “Shut up.”  
  
“Ehh? What did I…?” Eli promptly fell silent as Maki pushed her against the nearby wall. The question on her lips was answered when Maki leaned in and kissed her deeply, pressing their bodies flush together.   
  
Eli kissed Maki back without hesitation, her arms going around her girlfriend’s waist to pull her close. It wasn’t more than a few seconds before she felt Maki’s hands go to her gown, bunching up the fabric so that she could touch bare skin. She gasped softly as Maki’s thigh slipped between hers, pressing firmly against her centre. She turned her head, even as Maki’s teeth tugged at her lower lip.   
  
“W-Wait, aren’t we going too fast…?”  
  
“I would say we’re not going fast enough.” Maki pressed her knee up further, causing Eli to whimper. “I’ve been thinking about doing this all night. And I think you have too. You feel ready…”  
  
“Ahh, Maki…” Eli tilted her head back, her eyes closing as Maki’s lips danced over the skin of her collarbones and down her chest. She did want to take it slowly but she wanted Maki to touch her even more. “Do whatever you want to me.”   
  
She hooked her leg around Maki’s waist and tried to grind closer to her.   
  
“Now who’s trying to make this go faster?” Maki mumbled against Eli’s heated skin. “Maybe I should draw it out. I do want to take my time with you at some point tonight. Really take my time and touch and kiss you everywhere, listen to you whimper and moan my name…”  
  
“Maki, you’re killing me…” Eli whimpered as Maki lowered her foot back to the ground. “Hey…”  
  
“Shhh.” Maki kissed Eli again, humming in satisfaction at the taste of the blonde’s lips. She reached around for the zipper of Eli’s dress and slowly unzipped it. With a couple of well placed tugs it pooled at Eli’s feet. She looked her over, biting her lip. “I’ve seen these but I’ve seen you wearing them for me. I got a new set I want you to see really badly, Eli…”  
  
Eli’s mind raced to her brief glimpse of Maki’s bra strap back at the hotel. “Show me.”  
  
Maki chuckled low in her throat. “I don’t know. Maybe I should make you wait until after I’ve had my way with you.” She slid her fingers down Eli’s stomach, into her panties.   
  
“W-We’re not even in the bedroom yet…” Eli protested meekly.   
  
“I want to do you against the wall.” Maki slid her fingers through slick, heated folds and Eli moaned and threw her head back, hitting the wall with a thump. “You’re wet. How much were you trying to keep yourself from misbehaving at that stupid party anyway?”  
  
“You looked really hot. In your dress.” Eli moaned and grasped at Maki’s shoulder in case her knees buckled. “And seeing your bra strap kind of…turned me on. Just what are you wearing anyway?”  
  
“You’ll have to see when I get you upstairs. I think you’ll like it. Just sit back and let me make you feel good for now though.” Maki drew back her hand, sinking down and tugging Eli’s panties down her legs. “Take off your bra.”  
  
“W-Why don’t you do it yourself?” Eli stuttered, trying to gain some kind of control over the situation. She was answered with a dark laugh followed by a slightly stinging bite to her thigh. “Ahh, okay okay…” She leaned slightly away from the wall and reached behind her, unclasping her bra. She tugged it down her arms and tossed it somewhere to the side. “Maki, I want to touch you…”  
  
“Later, I promise. I’m-”  
  
“Not later. To my room, now.” Eli said firmly, finally running out of patience.   
  
“Alright, alright.” Maki straightened up and kissed Eli briefly. “Just let me pick your clothes up in case your parents come home. I’ll meet you in your bedroom.”  
  
Eli felt a surge of excitement. “O-Okay.” She kissed Maki once more before she turned and headed toward the bedroom, adding an exaggerated sway to her hips.   
  
Maki stared at Eli’s ass as she walked away, only looking away when Eli was out of view. “Okay, Nishikino. You can do this. Just like in those American TV shows and movies. You’ve got this.” She took a deep breath before she scooped up Eli’s clothes and made her way to the bedroom. She found Eli lying on her bed, propped up by her elbows. “God…” She muttered to herself, her eyes raking over the blonde. She closed the door behind her and dumped Eli’s clothes on the floor.   
  
She made sure the door was locked before she stepped closer to the bed, unzipping the dress herself. Her stomach fluttered with nerves but she pushed at it, letting it pool at her feet in much the same way as Eli’s had earlier.   
  
Eli felt her jaw drop as she looked at the garter belts, black stockings and the practically see through lacy red and black panties and bra. “Th-This is what you bought?” She asked, licking her lips as she looked Maki over. The bra pushed her breasts up and somehow made them look bigger while the panties hugged her hips perfectly. “Uuuhh…”  
  
Maki planted a hand on her hips, letting Eli’s gaze rake over her. “You’re staring too much.”  
  
“I-I can’t help it.” Eli looked up at Maki, noticing that her ears to her neck  were red with embarrassment. It was obvious she was trying to look sexy but she was nervous about it at the same time. “Come here.” She reached out for Maki who took her hand. With a quick yank, she pulled Maki on top of her and kissed her deeply. “You’re so fucking gorgeous, Maki. If you think I’m going to let you sleep tonight, you’re wrong…”  
  
“Wha…?” Maki yelped as Eli flipped them over and kissed her again. She didn’t argue though. She settled for wrapping her arms around Eli’s neck, drawing her closer as she needily kissed the blonde back. 


	19. Chapter 19

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Warning(s): Angst, cheating, VERY sexual scenes, LOTS of swearing. And again, very sexual scenes. So…M rated basically.

“What are you two looking at?” Maki asked curiously as she walked over to Honoka and Umi. The two had been talking in hushed tones in the corner of the roof, their gazes fixated on something. Maki had been watching them for a couple of minutes. Eli had left a few minutes ago to get the two of them some juice. She followed their gazes to Kotori. “You aren’t going to argue again, are you?”  
  
Honoka looked up at Maki. “No…just…her jacket. I didn’t know she liked that style, it’s too…boyish for her liking. And it’s not mine despite the H on the front.”  
  
“And it says ‘I’m too hot’ on the back.” Umi pointed out quietly. “It’s…not usually Kotori’s attitude either. So we don’t think it’s hers.”  
  
“We just don’t know where she got it.” Honoka chimed in again, a puzzled expression on her face. “And I’m not speaking to her right now so I can’t ask. Can you ask her for us, Maki-chan?”

“No, I’m not doing your dirty work for you.” Maki answered firmly. “No way.”  
  
“Maaaaaki!” Honoka whined.   
  
Umi meanwhile looked on, staring at the embroidering on the back of the jacket. There was one person she knew who would wear something like that.   
  
“I said no, I’m…”  
  
Thankfully Maki was cut off before Honoka managed to talk her into doing something she really didn’t want to do.   
  
“What’s going on? You think she has a secret lover?” Nozomi teased as she approached them. “She hasn’t been spending as much time with me and Nicocchi lately…”  
  
“Are you kidding me?” Umi growled.   
  
“I’m just kidding.” Nozomi laughed at the look on Umi’s face before she turned to Maki. “Maki-chan, can I talk to you in private, please?”  
  
“Me?” Maki asked in surprise. She hadn’t spoken to Nozomi on her own since before she’d found about about Eli cheating with Maki. “O-Okay. Are you sure you…?”  
  
“Come on.” Nozomi grabbed Maki’s hand and tugged her away from Honoka and Umi who had turned their attention back to Kotori anyway. She led them off to the other corner of the roof.   
  
“What’s wrong? You’re not mad at me, are you?” Maki asked anxiously. She wasn’t sure why Nozomi wanted to talk to her. “Did I do something wrong?”  
  
“No, relax.” Nozomi let go of Maki’s hand and turned toward her. “I just wanted to talk to you without Elichi being around, that’s all.”  
  
“Wait, what?” Maki warily took a step back. “Look…Nozomi, I really care about you. And I do want to be friends with you again but i-if you’re going to ask me to break up with Eli, I’m sorry but I can’t. I love her.”  
  
“What? Why would you think that? Please don’t let Nicocchi hear you suggest that. She’d be so pissed at you…” Nozomi sighed in exasperation. “I just wanted to apologize again, specifically for slapping you in the clubroom that day. Hurting my friends isn’t usually something I do. And before you say anything, yes we are still friends. You’re one of my closest friends.”  
  
“Oh…” Maki looked down at the ground, pulling her cap down slightly to shield her eyes as she felt them prickle with tears. She didn’t deserve such apologies. She should be apologizing.   
  
“Um…a couple of other things too.” Nozomi wrung her hands together nervously. “I’m sorry I turned Nicocchi against you. I know you felt close to her and I um…I know it’s going to take a while for her to forgive you. I’m sorry for not putting a stop to the bullying too. I could have if I’d tried harder but I was…dealing with my own stuff.”  
  
Maki shook her head. “No, you were kinder to me than I deserved. Nozomi, could you please just shut up and stop apologizing? Damn it, I don’t deserve a friend like you. I’m the one who should be apologizing. I was the reason Eli broke your heart.”  
  
“You don’t get to take all the blame, Maki-chan.” Nozomi disagreed, noticing Maki’s choked up tone. “I wouldn’t have said it before but it was Elichi’s fault too. I know she went after you first. She told me.”  
  
“She’s sorry about that. She really does feel awful. If you want to forgive one of us, forgive her. She loves you. She really does.” Maki said hurriedly. “You’re her best friend and…”  
  
“I want to forgive you too. I’m ready to move past it.” Nozomi interrupted, not wanting Maki to work herself up. “I don’t want to lose either of you.”  
  
“B-But I don’t…” Maki’s voice cracked and she trailed off, tears filling her eyes.   
  
“Oh come here.” Nozomi pulled off the hat Maki was using to hide and drew the girl into her arms, hugging her tightly. Maki’s arms went around her in turn, hands clutching at the back of her shirt.   
  
“I’m sorry. I’m so so sorry, Nozomi…” Maki made no effort to hide the fact that she was crying now.   
  
“Shhh. I’m sorry too.” Nozomi gently ran her hand over the back of Maki’s head, trying to calm her. “Elichi told me you came out to your dad?”  
  
“Y-Yeah. He said he’ll lay off with t-the ‘marriage interviews’ and stuff. But I have to be sure. I am. I know I am. I can’t imagine being with anyone else.” Maki sniffled into Nozomi’s shoulder. She didn’t make any move to pull away. The last time Nozomi had hugged her had been fleeting so she wanted to bask in it this time. “I told him I’m gay and I don’t want to be with anyone else anyway. Eli’s the only person for me.”  
  
Nozomi allowed the lingering hug, gently stroking Maki’s back. “I think the majority of us are. Or at least in a relationship with other girls. Maybe not Hanayo-chan and Rin-chan but the rest of us are.”  
  
Maki chuckled tearfully. “It’s a good thing we have mostly female fans.”

  
—  
  
Nozomi glanced around the cafeteria as she got her tray. Nico was busy with something she was adamant about not disclosing so for the second day in a row Nozomi was eating alone. She brightened, spotting Eli and Maki sitting together at a table but hesitated to walk over to them. She didn’t want to interrupt. Remembering her words from that morning though, she steeled herself and walked over to the table. When she was a couple of steps away, Eli and Maki looked up.   
  
“Do you mind if I sit here?” Nozomi asked, trying to sound casual about the request. “Nicocchi is busy or something.”

  
“Yes! I mean, no of course not!” Eli said hurriedly while Maki looked like she might cry again. “Please sit.”  
  
Nozomi sat down at the table with them. “You can carry on with whatever you were talking about. It’s fine.”  
  
“S-So um…as I was saying, she really bleached her hair.” Maki said, glancing back at Eli. “I couldn’t believe it. But the moment she walked into class, my jaw dropped.”  
  
“You’re talking about the first year, Amagi-san?” Nozomi asked, picking up her chopsticks to eat her Ma-Po tofu. “The one who’s almost as rich as you and Umi?”  
  
Maki nodded. “Yeah, her family owns a lot of galleries and collections. She was such a model student before though, it’s weird. I mean I know she was hiding some stuff and I heard rumors that she was kicked out of a boarding school but she was so quiet that I didn’t really believe them. And she has so many admirers. She even has boys in her fanclub!”  
  
“I guess people aren’t always the way they seem to be.” Eli said with a shrug of her shoulders. “I mean I had the wrong impression about you before we…” She glanced at Nozomi uncertainly, receiving a reassuring nod in response.   
  
“I think I know where Kotori got her jacket.” Maki said when Eli chose not to continue. “But I don’t know for sure so I don’t want to say anything.”  
  
“It’s best to keep it to yourself, Maki.” Nozomi agreed. “Kotori will come out when she’s ready to.”

Maki bit her lip. “I guess. I’m just worried about her. She’s been acting a bit odd too lately. Maybe she’s being influenced or something. You still speak to her a lot, right? So you can keep an eye on her?”  
  
Nozomi nodded in response. “Of course I can.”  
  
—  
  
“So you really did bleach your hair.” Umi said thoughtfully as she stepped close to Hibiki who was sitting in front of her usual easel in the art room. “I mean I know you said you would but I guess I didn’t believe you…”  
  
“Yeah, it doesn’t look too bad, right?” Hibiki self-consciously ran her hand through her hair.   
  
“No, it suits you. More than your darker hair did.” Umi said with a shrug of her shoulders. “I guess all that matters is whether you like it. Do you?”  
  
Hibiki nodded, smiling widely. She felt much better now that she had her hair the way she wanted it. “The rumors have started though.”  
  
“They’re just jealous, that’s all.” Umi said with a soft smile. “Ignore them.”  
  
“I’m down a notch from Makinin again, I think. Blonde isn’t a very popular color…”  
  
“Do you guys compete or something?” Umi asked, rolling her eyes.  
  
“Not really.” Hibiki said with a shrug of her shoulders. “I’m just saying, I’m not going to be as popular now that I’m blonde.”  
  
“Eli is blonde. You should see how popular she is, especially on Valentine’s day.” Umi pointed out logically. Eli had always been quite popular amongst the other girls in the school. “Besides it’s not like you care about that, is it?”  
  
Hibiki shrugged her shoulders. “There are more important things.”  
  
“That’s true.” Umi stared at Hibiki for a moment, tempted to ask the question on her mind. Part of her didn’t want to know though so she chose not to.   
  
“You’re not with Kaichou today?” Hibiki asked thoughtfully as she turned back to her blank canvas.   
  
Umi shook her head. “She’s busy with Eli. They went off somewhere together. Maki too, I think.”  
  
“You didn’t want to go with them?”  
  
“They didn’t ask me so I didn’t. I think Honoka wants to talk to them about some things she doesn’t want to talk to me about. Which is fine.” Umi wandered over to another chair and dragged it closer to Hibiki. “Do you mind if I hang out in here with you for a while?”  
  
“Course not. You can hang out with me whenever you want to.” Hibiki turned on her chair to face Umi. It wasn’t as though she was going to get much done. She hadn’t drawn a single thing yet. “Do you want to talk about Hocchi?”  
  
Umi shrugged her shoulders. “There’s not much to talk about. She’s worried about things. About me not being out to my family, about Kotori. Maybe she just needs to talk to Eli about it. She doesn’t want to upset me maybe.”  
  
“You hate seeing her upset too so it’s pretty much a mutual thing you two have, hmm?” Hibiki asked pointedly.   
  
“Yeah.” Umi looked down at the ring on her finger, recalling how upset Honoka had been when she’d taken it off for the fundraiser. She’d regretted that decision ever since then. Ever since she’d seen how hurt Honoka had been. “I think I’m going to come out to my parents this weekend. I can’t keep doing this to her. To us. I need people to know.”  
  
“You’re following Maki’s example, huh? Isn’t your father kind of a prick though?” Hibiki asked, raising an eyebrow. “If I remember correctly.”  
  
“He’s strict but has to maintain his status as the head of the dojo. I remember when he was young, he wished I was a boy…”  
  
“A prick then.” Hibiki concluded, turning to scowl at her blank canvas.

Umi slumped back down in her seat and sighed heavily. “Do you mind if I ask you something personal?”  
  
Hibiki shrugged.   
  
“There’s a rumour that you were kicked out of boarding school before you came here. Is that true?” Umi asked carefully.  
  
“Damn it, Umi-tan. I thought you were above gossiping.” Hibiki didn’t look at Umi. “It’s true that I was meant to go to boarding school for middle school and high school. What of it?”  
  
“What did you do?”  
  
“Wouldn’t you like to know?” Hibiki retorted automatically. “I don’t like talking about it. Guess I’ll have to soon if it’s going around the school though.”  
  
“Oh, it’s not. I heard it at a fundraiser last year.” Umi said sheepishly. “I think Maki and I are the only people here who know about it.”  
  
“I’d like to keep it that way if that’s okay with you.”  
  
Hibiki’s tone wasn’t light and carefree like Umi was used to. It was serious and firm.   
  
“Okay. We don’t have to talk about it.” Umi said, not wanting to upset her. She leaned back in her seat, her thoughts drifting to Honoka.   
  
“Thank you…” Hibiki muttered.   
  
—-

“Your house is almost as big as Umi-chan’s.” Kotori observed as Hibiki let her into her room. She glanced around, noticing the vintage posters on the walls as well as the art supplies scattered around. She noticed a painted mural on the far wall. The room was fairly dark. Even the sheets adorning her surprisingly large bed were black. Kotori hadn’t expected anything less if she was honest. “This is…very you.”  
  
There were paint tubes on the floor in front of a canvas, settled on an easel. It was blank, Kotori noticed as she continued to look around. The room was nothing like her own. It was dark and somehow…sexy in a way.   
  
“Yeah, my parents give me free reign with this. So I went all out.” Hibiki said with a shrug of her shoulders. “I’m really into the…”  
  
“Hibiki.”   
  
Hibiki fell silent when Kotori interrupted her. Something about the girl’s voice sounded breathy. “Yeah?”  
  
Kotori bit her lip as she turned to Hibiki. She stared at her for a moment, taking in the open blouse, revealing a crimson top underneath. She felt her cheeks flush as Hibiki lifted her hand to tuck her hair behind her ear, her shirt sliding up slightly. She hugged the clothes she had brought closer to her. “Nothing. I’m just…a bit nervous.”  
  
“Hey, you really have nothing to worry about.” Hibiki walked over to Kotori and took the bag of costumes from her, placing it neatly on the bed. “Just think about performing. It’s just like that but you have to pose for a while longer than at the end of a song. And it’s just me here. You trust me, right Kotori?”  
  
“I don’t even know you that well…” Kotori said with a slightly disbelieving laugh.   
  
“I didn’t ask that.” Hibiki reached for Kotori’s hand and gripped it lightly. “We can stop whenever you want to. Do you trust me though? A bad girl posing as a good girl?”  
  
Kotori bit her lip again. Hibiki certainly knew how to make a girl’s knees weak. “I trust you. I trust an artist with a gifted skill.”  
  
Hibiki smiled and stepped back, letting go of Kotori’s hand. “We can start with a portrait with just your uniform on. Though if you don’t mind I’d like the blazer off. Sleeves up to your elbows and…your bow off. Please.”  
  
“Okay.” Kotori shrugged out of her blazer, tossing it down next to the other clothes. She took her school bow off too and then rolled up her sleeves like Hibiki had asked. “Like this?”  
  
“Yeah. I’m just gonna change too. I don’t want to get this dirty…” Hibiki turned away from Kotori and began to slip off her school blouse.   
  
Kotori’s eyes widened as Hibiki took her shirt off, revealing her bare back. Or parts of it at least. She was still wearing the crimson camisole but it was very thin. As she turned Kotori noticed that she was a lot more filled out in the chest area than she had first though. She was about as big as Maki.   
  
She watched as Hibiki unhooked her skirt and grabbed a pair of ripped old boot cut jeans which she began to tug on, not before Kotori got a glimpse of black panties though. “Fuck…”  
  
Hibiki looked up and Kotori turned away quickly, blood rushing to her face.   
  
“Did the principal’s daughter just curse?” Hibiki smirked. “How uncharacteristic. What would your mom think?”  
  
“W-Why are you undressing in front of me?” Kotori stuttered. She didn’t dare turn back to Hibiki just yet.   
  
“I said I was changing.” Hibiki said, zipping her jeans up. “Warned you. It’s safe to look now by the way. Not that it wasn’t before. I hardly care if you look.”  
  
Kotori hesitantly turned back to Hibiki. “I wasn’t looking. I was just surprised.”  
  
“Sure you weren’t.” Hibiki teased, brushing past Kotori to get to her easel.   
  
Kotori’s eyes dropped to the girl’s ass as she walked and she huffed out a sigh of annoyance. When Hibiki turned back around to face her, she looked away. She was surprised to find archery equipment in Hibiki’s closet. “You’re in the archery club?”  
  
“Eh…I was before I screwed up.”  
  
Kotori raised an eyebrow. “That doesn’t sound like you. From what I know.”  
  
Hibiki shrugged her shoulders. “Yeah well I was forced to choose a sport. Sit down on the bed, would you?” She waited until Kotori sat down on the edge of the bed. “Okay, shuffle back so you’re not perched right on the edge. Don’t fold your hands in your lap like that, put them at either side of you. Try to look relaxed.”  
  
“I don’t feel relaxed.” Kotori said as she watched Hibiki put her hair up with a bobby pin. “I feel scrutinized.”  
  
“Please.” Hibiki said with a slight scoff. “I don’t scrutinize you when I look at you. More like admire.”  
  
“Huh? Really?”  
  
“I told you. You’re really pretty. Why would I not look at you like that?” Hibiki set her easel up, preparing to draw Kotori. “Lean back on your hands just a bit and cross your right leg over your left.”                   
  
Kotori did as she was told but then she did something that surprised even Hibiki. She lifted her hand and unbuttoned the top two buttons of her shirt. She didn’t know why but she wanted to make Hibiki squirmed.  
  
Hibiki felt her mouth run dry as her gaze drifted briefly to the bare skin on display. “T-That’s good, yeah.”  
  
Kotori almost smirked at the stutter but stopped herself just in time. She leaned back a bit further, her heart hammering in her chest at the heated look the first year was giving her. She watched as Hibiki got to work with her pencil on the easel, every few seconds looking back up at her. Like she couldn’t draw her eyes away. Her stare was intense and Kotori had to fight the urge to shudder. She managed to sit still though.   
  
She couldn’t help but notice the way Hibiki was barely even looking at her face. Instead, her gaze was drifting over her arms, chest and legs. It just made the whole thing even more intimate. She could hear the faint scratch of the pencil against the canvas as Hibiki carefully sketched her. It was quiet save from that and Kotori allowed her own attention to shift to Hibiki’s body. Or what she could make out anyway.

Hibiki’s tongue was sticking out just slightly in concentration. Kotori’s gaze travelled further down, to her chest then past the easel to her feet planted firmly on the ground. Hibiki wasn’t standing fully in front of the easel so it was easy to see her jeans slipping just a little bit down her waist, black panties just about visible.   
  
Fighting the urge to squirm herself as heat settled low in her stomach, she kept her eyes on Hibiki and stayed quiet, focusing on not moving. She didn’t want to ruin the drawing after all.  
  
“Could you untie your hair?”  
  
“Huh?” Kotori asked in surprise. She’d gotten used to the silence and hadn’t expected Hibiki to say anything.   
  
“The half ponytail is a pain in the ass to draw. I’d like it better if it was down. Here, I’ll do it. Don’t move.” Hibiki stepped out from behind her easel and crossed the room. She knelt on the bed with one knee and leaned in, reaching for Kotori’s ribbon.   
  
Kotori’s breath caught as she found herself staring at Hibiki’s chest. A moment later, her hair fell down against her body as her ribbon was removed and Hibiki leaned back. “Um…”  
  
“Much better.” Hibiki looked down, her blue eyes meeting amber. “You okay down there?”  
  
“Mmm.” Kotori answered with a nod of her head. It was all she could really manage.

  
“We could take a break if you want to?” Hibiki offered thoughtfully, wondering if Kotori was having an issue staying still for so long.   
  
Kotori shook her head. “No, it’s fine. Let’s continue. I want you to continue.”                     
  
“Even if I keep staring at you?” Hibiki’s hand moved unconsciously to Kotori’s thigh.  
  
Kotori sucked in a sharp breath. She didn’t know if Hibiki was flirting on purpose but it was certainly working to get her riled up. “I like you staring at me. But maybe it would be better if I got into character. Wearing my uniform is just me…”  
  
“I’ll see what we have.” Hibiki got up and went to the bag of clothing, rifling through it in search of any muse costumes that would look good on Kotori. She paused, finding her letterman jacket in there. “My jacket. You decided to return it then?”  
  
“Um…not exactly.” Kotori answered sheepishly.   
  
Hibiki picked up the jacket. “Then why is it here?”  
  
“I like wearing it. And you said I looked good in it when I wore it after school a few days ago, remember? I stopped by the art club?”  
  
“Yeah, I remember..” Hibiki said with a shake of her head. “Of course I remember. You do look really good in it.”  
  
Kotori smiled bashfully and stood from the bed. “Do you want to..draw me in it?”   
  
“More clothes. An artist’s worst nightmare.” Hibiki said with a slight roll of her eyes. Personally she would rather Kotori stay as she was.   
  
“Hibiki.” Kotori paced toward Hibiki and took the jacket from her hands. “Turn around. Please.”  
  
“Huh? Why?” Hibiki frowned but when Kotori merely stared at her expectantly she sighed and turned around, staring at her door.   
  
Kotori took a deep breath, trying to calm herself for what she was about to do. She was taking a big risk and putting herself out there. She’d only known Hibiki for just over a week but she was sure she understood the signals the other girl was giving her.   
  
She slowly unbuttoned the rest of her shirt and tossed it onto the floor before reaching behind her to unclasp her bra too. She tossed that down next to her shirt and slipped the letterman jacket on, leaving it unzipped. It fit her like a glove but she knew that nothing would be well covered with the jacket opened. She supposed that was the point. She didn’t want them hidden. She slid off her skirt and allowed it to the drop to the floor. Nerves kicked in now that she was exposed but she took a deep breath to calm herself. “Hibiki. You can um…”  
  
“Turn around? About ti-” Hibiki turned around, her word sticking in her throat when she noticed Kotori’s state of undress. She hadn’t expected her to be so bold. Her gaze slid down to Kotori’s breasts, barely covered by the fabric of her letterman jacket. She swallowed convulsively. “Y-You want me to draw you like this?”  
  
Kotori nodded. “At least now there won’t be more clothing…”  
  
Hibiki could swear that she saw Kotori’s nipples harden against the chill in the room. “I don’t think I can.”  
  
“Oh, do you not…?” Kotor self-consciously crossed her arms in front of her chest. It wouldn’t have been the first time she’d been rejected sexually. Maybe she was just good at reading signals completely wrong.   
  
“No, no. That’s not it.” Hibiki scratched the back of her neck as she stared longingly at Kotori’s slightly more covered chest. “I just um…I don’t think I can concentrate. Now I’m j-just kind of thinking about how much I want to touch your boobs. Stupid, right?”  
  
She took a step back, flustered and accidentally stepped in some red paint. “Ah, shit….”  
  
Kotori decided to make her move, slowly sliding the jacket off as she walked toward Hibiki. It hit the floor somewhere behind her but she didn’t have time to check where it was. When she was within touching distance, Hibiki grabbed her and spun them around, pushing her against the mural wall behind them.   
  
Kotori gasped, discovering the paint was still very much wet.   
  
“Now look what you did.” Hibiki pressed herself flush against Kotori and watched as the second year’s cheek flushed. “Now I’m going to have to paint this all over again. This time with your body…”  
  
Kotori’s stomach fluttered with excitement. She reached up, brushing her paint covered fingers against Hibiki’s cheek, leaving streaks of blue. “Then do it, bad girl.”  
  
Hibiki chuckled low in her throat. “You like that, huh? That I’m such a ‘bad girl’. It turns you on.”  
  
“Yeah…” Kotori whispered, her paint covered fingers sliding into Hibiki’s hair, tugging the bobby pin out to let it fall to her shoulders. “You do.”  
  
Hibiki planted both hands at the side of Kotori’s head, coating her hands in black and white paint as she leaned up and crashed her lips against the almost naked second year’s.  
  
Kotori was taken by surprise as Hibiki kissed her deeply, without the slightest hesitation. A skilled tongue swiping at her lower lip had her granting access immediately and she whimpered as the feeling of said tongue exploring her mouth. Honoka had never been so enthusiastic. She’d only ever kissed her briefly, their makeouts barely ever deepening to this point.   
  
A hand clutched her leg, drawing it up and Kotori whimpered as Hibiki’s knee slid between her legs, pushing against her core. A paint covered hand cupped her breast, squeezing and rubbing and spreading paint onto her skin while another clutched at her thigh to keep her leg up.   
  
The idea of her skin being marked with the paint turned her on even more and she couldn’t help but grind against Hibiki’s knee, whimpering at the friction it brought. She tore her mouth away to take a much needed breath but Hibiki didn’t seem to approve and ducked her head to kiss and nip at her neck.   
  
Kotori moaned loudly and tried to press herself harder against Hibiki’s leg.   
  
“Fuck, you really want this, don’t you?” Hibiki muttered, pushing her hands into the back of Kotori’s panties. She gripped her ass, pushing her none too gently further up the wall. She was ruining the mural but she couldn’t bring herself to care about that.   
  
Kotori gripped Hibiki’s jeans, trying to pull her closer to her.   
  
“Usually I don’t do this with girls from the school. You know, to keep up the act. But I’ll make an exception for you, Kotori. Because you’re so fucking hot. No strings attached. If you want.” Hibiki paused to suck firmly at Kotori’s neck.   
  
“Of course I am. Just hurry up and fuck me already.” Kotori growled in Hibiki’s ear, causing her to shudder. “I need it.”  
  
“Fuck…” Hibiki muttered, caught off guard. She let go of Kotori’s ass and pulled her away from the wall, guiding her to the paint mat she’d laid out on the floor instead. She gripped Kotori’s shoulders and pushed her down onto the mat, quickly following her.   
  
—  
  
Kotori was wearing the same jacket to the club meeting. Honoka noticed as soon as she stepped into the room. She hadn’t seen much of Kotori that day, having been busy with Umi.   
  
She noticed Maki and Hanayo, who were sitting together cast a nervous glance at her but she didn’t think anything of it.   
  
She sat down opposite Kotori, Hanayo and Maki as Eli and Umi sat down at either side of her. She didn’t notice anything amiss for a moment but then she looked up at Kotori, her blood running cold as she noticed the marks on her neck.   
  
“What the hell is that?” She pointed her own neck, her eyes boring into Kotori’s. “Is that a hickey? Where did you get it?”  
  
“I don’t think that’s any of your business.” Kotori’s voice was sharp but she didn’t even look at Honoka. “If you have to know, I slept with someone. She was hot.”  
  
Honoka gripped the edge of the table. “Someone from Muse?”  
  
“No, you don’t know her. I’ve only known her for a week.” Kotori crossed her arms in front of her chest. Somehow the pained, angry look on Honoka’s face felt good. Honoka hadn’t even spoken to her in the past couple of weeks.   
  
“You threw your first time away on a one night stand?!” Honoka asked in disbelief. “Kotori-chan, that’s…”  
  
“What? You wouldn’t take it. You just let me throw myself at you.” Kotori growled in frustration. “Why would you care who I give it to? Besides, they may have only known me for a week but she seems to care about me more than you ever did. I’ll probably sleep with her again anyway. I actually feel like she wants me.”  
  
“KOTORI!”Umi stood up, slamming her hands against the desk. She quietened down when she spoke next though anger lingered in her voice. “Everyone get out. I need to speak to Kotori for a minute.”  
  
Everyone quickly got up and left the room, save for Honoka, Kotori, Umi and Eli. The blonde lingered for a moment, giving Honoka’s shoulder a brief squeeze.   
  
“If you need me I’ll be right outside the…”  
  
“Honoka, you go too.” Umi said firmly, turning to look at Honoka. “Please. Go with Eli.”  
  
To her surprise, Honoka got up and went with Eli without argument. When the door closed Umi turned on Kotori.   
  
“What the hell are you trying to do, Kotori? Are you trying to hurt her?” Umi’s voice was low but the fury in her voice was unmistakable. “Is that what you’re trying to do because I don’t even need to go and speak to her to know you’re doing a DAMN good job.”  
  
Kotori scoffed and looked away.   
  
“Kotori, I’m trying. I’m trying so hard to be nice about this.” Umi skirted around the table until she could sink into the seat next to Kotori. “But you’re pushing me. You just went and slept with someone else without even thinking about it. And then you flaunt it in front of her?”  
  
Kotori shook her head. “I can do what I like. It’s none of her…” She yelped as Umi grabbed the front of her shirt with both hands. “What the…?!”  
  
“This is the difference between how I feel about Honoka and how you feel about her. When I hurt her, I can’t stand to see that look in her eyes. I hate myself for doing it and I’ll do anything to fix it.” Umi’s eyes misted with tears. “You don’t care, do you? You really don’t.”  
  
Kotori felt her throat close up, her own eyes prickling but she tried not to look phased. “What does it matter? She hates me.”  
  
“NO SHE DOESN’T!” Umi gave Kotori a sharp shake. “Stop being so damn stubborn! She doesn’t love you like she loves me but she does love you. She needs her best friend and losing you will break her heart.” When Kotori merely stared at her, her grip loosened, tears sliding their way down her cheeks. “We both love you. Do you have any idea how much it hurts us to see you doing this to yourself? You deserve better than a one night stand.”  
  
“I don’t want it to be a one night stand! Okay?!” Kotori exclaimed, lightly pushing Umi’s hands away from her. “I like her! Maybe we rushed it but I really do like her. She’s cool and different and wild and something I’ve never experienced before. And she likes me too, I think. Well…she likes my physically at least. Unlike Honoka-chan…”  
  
“What…?” Umi’s eyes widened in surprise. “Kotori, who is it?”  
  
“Her name is Amagi Hibiki.” Kotori said with a shrug of her shoulders. “The girl who confessed to you?”  
  
“Yeah, I know her…” Umi sighed and leaned back in her seat. “Kotori, look…you need to stop trying to hurt Honoka. Just talk to her. Please. We all did things we shouldn’t have and I’m sorry. We never wanted to hurt you. But you hurt us too.”  
  
Kotori nodded silently and stood up. “I don’t hate you, Umi-chan. I just need some time.” She reached out to touch Umi’s shoulder but stopped just shy of it. Sighing to herself she turned and left the room.   
  
—  
  
“What are you still doing on your laptop?” Eli close to whined from the bed. “Come to bed. I need my teddy bear.”  
  
“Sorry, just some last minute researching.” Maki shut the laptop and walked over to the bed, clambering up on it. She found Eli’s open arms waiting for her and smirked to herself as she moved into them lying down next to the blonde.   
  
“Hmm, I missed you…” Eli briefly buried her nose in Maki’s hair and inhaled slowly.   
  
“I missed you too.” Maki laughed softly as she slid her arm around Eli’s waist, pressing herself close. “But it’s only been a few minutes and we were in the same room…”  
  
“I don’t care, I still missed you.” Eli gently kissed the area behind Maki’s ear, causing her to shudder. “I got my acceptance letter a couple of days ago.”  
  
“What? Why didn’t you tell me sooner?!” Maki looked up at Eli, beaming happily. “I’m so happy for you. I knew you’d do it.” She reached up, cupping Eli’s face in her hands and pulled her down into a kiss.   
  
Eli pulled back, her lips turned up into a small smile. “The whole Honoka drama kind of made me forget, sorry. I’ll still be in Tokyo so that’s good. I won’t be too far away.”  
  
“That’s good.” Maki said, settling back down next to Eli.   
  
Eli nervously bit her lip. “Nozomi told me I can move in with her and Nico so I’m not living by myself. I didn’t expect her to but it’s good. It was our plan for a long time. Is that okay with you?”  
  
“Sure, I trust you.” Maki answered without hesitation.   
  
“That’s…not really what I meant.” Eli sighed and laid down on her back, staring at the ceiling. Her left arm was trapped because Maki’s head was resting there so she couldn’t move too far away. “Will you miss me?”  
  
Maki scoffed. “Of course. Well…just a little bit. I’m allowed to come and visit, right?”  
  
“Yes! If you want to.” Eli felt relief wash over her. “Maybe every weekend and holidays too if you can? If you don’t mind staying over with Nozomi and Nico there.”  
  
“As long as you have your own room, I don’t mind. Besides, just try to keep me away at the weekend if I’m going a full week without seeing you.” Maki turned onto her side to look at Eli. “And we’ll skype every night before bed.”  
  
Eli smiled softly at the promise. “You gonna start cram school soon?”  
  
“Yeah, my dad’s already looking into it. He’s still letting me take piano lessons and do concerts though.” Maki said happily. Her dad had dealt with everything a lot better than she’d thought he would. “You’ll come to my competitions, right?”  
  
“Obviously. I have to be there to cheer my amazingly talented girlfriend on.” Eli gave Maki a gentle squeeze. “Hey, Maki…I know this sounds stupid but can you promise me something?”  
  
“Anything.” Maki said solemnly, noticing the serious look on Eli’s face. “What is it?”  
  
Eli’s face turned red with embarrassment. “Just…promise me this isn’t going to tear us apart? I know we won’t see each other as much but…I love you so much, Maki. I’ll do anything to keep us together. Anything.”  
  
Maki stared at Eli for a moment before she scooted back, sliding off the bed. She walked across the room to rummage through her bag and Eli sat up, worriedly watching her.  
  
“Maki? Is something wrong?” Eli was relieved when Maki turned back to her and walked over to the bed, clutching a long box. “What’s that?”  
  
Maki knelt down on the bed next to Eli. “I was going to give you this at graduation but now’s a better time, I think.” She held the box out to Eli who slowly took it from her but didn’t open it right away. “Open it!”  
  
“Alright.” Eli slowly opened the box to reveal a gold bracelet. She cast a glance at Maki who was smiling nervously before she took the bracelet from the box. “Maki…”  
  
“I had some charms put on it. A piano for me obviously and ballet shoes for you.” Maki explained as she watched Eli run her fingers over the charms. “I was thinking you can wear it when you’re at college. So you think of me.”  
  
“I’ll never stop thinking about you.” Eli said, her voice sounding slightly choked.   
  
“I have a matching one too.” Maki opened her other hand to reveal a bracelet that matched Eli’s. “So when you look at yours you’ll know I’ll be wearing mine too. Honoka gave me the idea actually. But I just want you to know that I’ll always be thinking about you too. I want to be with you…forever if you’ll have me, Eli.”  
  
“You’re gonna make me cry.” Eli said, her voice choked with emotion already. She held out her bracelet to Maki. “Put in on for me?”  
  
Maki brightened at the request and took the bracelet, setting her own on her lap. Carefully, she reached toward Eli’s outstretched wrist and put the bracelet on for her. “Will you…?”  
  
“Of course.” Eli took Maki’s bracelet from the redhead’s lap and put it on for her, being as careful as she could.   
  
Maki smiled at the way the bracelet looked on her wrist. “I meant what I said before. I’m never going to leave you, even if things get hard I’m still going to be with you.”  
  
“You really are trying to make me cry…”  
  
“I’m sorry, I ju-” Maki was cut off as Eli kissed her suddenly, toppling them both over onto the bed.   
  
“Shhh.” Eli whispered, situating herself on top of Maki. “I hope the door is locked. Because you’re not gonna get any sleep tonight.”  
  
“Huh?” Maki’s confusion was interrupted by Eli kissing her again. With the blonde pressed flush against her she could hardly bring herself to argue. Her arms went around the girl above her and she kissed her back, arching slightly to get closer to her.   
  
Eli smirked to herself as Maki’s hand slid under her shirt, soft fingers moving over her skin. Even when she was beneath her, Maki was trying to top her it seemed. “I hope you can be quiet.” She mumbled against soft lips. “Because I plan to make you scream my name.”  
  
Maki shuddered at the warning. Her hands sunk down to Eli’s sleep shorts, slipping underneath them so that she could cup her firm ass, fingernails digging into soft skin. “Is that a challenge?”  
  
Eli opened her mouth to reply but Maki gave a firm tug, pulling Eli’s hips down to meet hers. The blonde moaned despite herself and Maki laughed quietly.   
  
“Maybe you’re the one who needs to learn to be quiet…” She teased, leaning up to nip at Eli’s ear. “Maybe I’ll be the one making you scream tonight.”

  
Eli groaned as she felt Maki continue to grind her repeatedly against her. “Maki…”  
  
Maki pushed herself into a sitting position, her lips finding their way to Eli’s neck and she slid her hand into the front of the blonde’s shorts, finding slick heat waiting for her. “Fuck, Eli…” She mused to herself as Eli rolled her hips forward against her hand. She couldn’t help it, she firmly bit Eli’s ear, earning a soft squeak of surprise. “You’re so damn cute. I don’t want to strip you tonight. It’s hotter doing it in our clothes, don’t you think?”  
  
Eli moaned like Maki had known she would. One of the things Maki had noticed about the blonde was that doing it in her clothes turned her on. It was cute, Maki thought.   
  
She planted her feet firmly on the bed and quickly flipped them, taking Eli by surprise. She grinned briefly at the blonde before she leaned down and pressed her lips to heated skin, dragging her teeth and lips down Eli’s front until she reached the edge of her tank top. She continued until she reached it’s hem which she pulled up with her teeth, revealing Eli’s smooth stomach. “You’re so…” She planted her lips to Eli’s abdomen, using her teeth a little to cause the blonde to hiss softly. “Fucking hot.”  
  
“Maki…” Eli arched into Maki’s mouth, trying to get closer to her. The redhead’s hand was still in her shorts, persistent fingers stroking her slowly. “Maki!”  
  
Maki smirked against Eli’s abdomen. It always amused her that she could turn the usually calm, confident blonde into such a needy mess. “Mmmhm?”  
  
“Just…” Eli’s hand slid into Maki’s hair, taking her slightly by surprise. “Come on.”  
  
Maki gave a soft chuckle. It was cute, when Eli tried to take control. “Why? You like it when I make you wait. It turns you on, doesn’t it? All of that anticipation…”  
  
Eli whimpered in response as Maki teasingly slid a single finger into her. “Maki, please. Please.”  
  
Maki paused, shuddering at the pleading tone in Eli’s voice. “Please what, Eli?” She shifted down, her lips brushing Eli’s shorts but bypassing where she knew Eli really wanted her. She kissed Eli’s thigh, gently nipping it a second later.   
  
“Just fucking…” Eli threw her arm over her eyes, her cheeks flushing red. “Ugh. Maki. Come on…”  
  
Maki withdrew her fingers for a moment, moving back to her knees next to Eli. Her previous position was uncomfortable so she moved so that she was straddling Eli’s stomach, facing away from her. She slid her hand back into El’s shorts and reentered her with two fingers, causing her to moan loudly. She didn’t move them again though, letting them stay still. “Why should I do it if you can’t even say it out loud?”  
  
Eli pushed her head into the pillow and moaned at the feeling of Maki’s fingers inside of her.   
  
Maki moved her fingers just a little bit and Eli automatically tried to grind her hips forward to prolong the movement. “Say it.”  
  
“Fine!” Eli growled, struggling to think. “Just fuck me!”  
  
Maki shook her head in disapproval. “Say it nicely.”  
  
“Fuck…” Eli opened her eyes and watched as Maki leaned down, kissing the waistband of her shorts. Somehow the fact that Maki wasn’t facing her made it even hotter. “Please fuck me, Maki. Make me scream your name. Make me yours, please just…”  
  
Maki braced herself with one hand on Eli’s thigh and began to thrust her fingers back and forth, effectively interrupting the blonde’s aroused babbling. “You’re already mine…” She muttered more to herself than to Eli who was too busy writhing beneath her to reply anyway.   
  
“Yesss…” Eli hissed as she moved her hips in time with the thrusts of Maki’s fingers. It felt so good she could already feel herself inching toward one of the most mind blowing orgasms she’d ever had. She reached out, needily tugging at Maki’s sweats, needing to see more.   
  
Maki barely noticed her sweatpants inching down her ass as Eli tugged at them. She hardly cared anyway. It wasn’t as though she’d forbidden Eli from using her hands or touching her. The thought gave her an idea but she stored it away for later. Eli’s hands crept over her ass and up her back, touching her everywhere she could but Maki wasn’t to be distracted. She leaned down as she continued to move her fingers, pressing her lips just above them.   
  
Eli yelped and spread her legs wider to give Maki more space. She wished she could feel Maki’s tongue directly against her yet Maki kissing and licking at her above her shorts was somehow even more of a turn on. “Fuck, Maki…” She gripped Maki’s hips firmly in her hands, her eyes flitting restlessly over the skin she’d managed to expose.   
  
Maki groaned softly when Eli’s hands didn’t stay where they were for long, sliding down to grip her rear. Somehow Eli being so needy and desperate only turned her on more. She wanted to think of more ways to get her like that. She smirked at another idea she had. She would save that for an anniversary or something. She would need to research and maybe seek advice somewhere.   
  
“Maki, I-I’m going to…fuck!” Eli gripped at the covers, trying to grind forward against Maki’s fingers and mouth. The hand on her thigh kept her mostly pinned down though. “Maaakii…”  
  
Maki shivered at the way her name sounded on Eli’s lips. She increased the pace of her fingers and sucked firmly at Eli’s clit over her short. She was taken by surprise when Eli’s hips jerked forward, her back arching off the bed, even with Maki atop her and she let out a muffled scream. She was curious about it but she kept up the movement of her fingers until Eli slumped back down, spent.   
  
Maki looked over her shoulder in time to find Eli discarding a pillow she’d used to muffle her scream. She vowed to someday get Eli to scream in a place where she didn’t have to hold herself back or silence herself. Smirking smugly, Maki drew her hand from Eli’s shorts, surprised to find out how wet her fingers were. She didn’t hesitate to slide them into her mouth, humming in satisfaction to herself.   
  
Eli, panting softly watched through hooded eyes, arousal spiking again. “Fuck. M-Maki, can you do something for me?”  
  
Maki slid her fingers from her mouth, assuming Eli was going to ask her to use it. “Anything.”   
  
“Take your clothes off while I catch my breath.”  
  
Maki was puzzled but decided to do as Eli asked. She got off the bed and stripped quickly until she was completely naked. She got on the bed and went to kiss Eli only for the blonde to turn her face away. “What’s wrong?”  
  
“Straddle me like you were before.” Eli ordered, still a bit breathless and flushed. “But…my face this time.”  
  
Eli’s words were hushed and shy but Maki heard them just fine. Her stomach filled with butterflies, her centre throbbing in response. “O-On your…okay!”  
  
She carefully moved up the bed further as Eli shifted down a little. She swung one leg over Eli’s head, positioning herself over her.   
  
“A-Are you su…AH!”   
  
—-  
  
Honoka was staring down at her uneaten lunch when a shadow fell over her, causing her to look up. She had sat herself in the far corner of the cafeteria because she hadn’t wanted to speak to anyone, especially her friend and yet Eli, Maki, Nozomi and Nico were standing in front of her.   
  
Nico sat down opposite, her tray clattering against the table. “Heard you were late this morning.” She remarked.   
  
Honoka shrugged as Eli sat down next to her, Nozomi taking a seat next to Nico while Maki sat next to Eli. “So?”  
  
“Your hair looks different.” Nozomi added carefully. It was obvious there was something wrong. “You don’t usually wear it completely down. Did you feel like a change?”  
  
Honoka shrugged again.   
  
Maki cleared her throat, deciding to approach the issue directly. She leaned forward so that she could look at Honoka. “We heard that you were rude to a teacher. Does it have anything to do with Umi not being at school? Is she sick?”  
  
“Maybe.” Honoka answered vaguely, not bothering to look up. “Just leave it alone, I don’t want to talk about it.”  
  
“Honoka, we’re just trying to help.” Eli said gently. “As the student council president, you can’t snap at teachers when y-”  
  
“Why don’t you just shut up?!” Honoka snapped angrily, reaching the end of her patience. Eli flinched next to her while the others stared at her in shock. Even Nico was taken by surprise. Honoka never snapped at Eli.  
  
“Honoka, she’s just trying to help you.” Maki said defensively. “She’s worried about you, just like the rest of us. There’s no need to yell at her. If you don’t want to te-”  
  
“Maki, shut the hell up.” Nico ordered, her gaze fixed on Honoka. The fact that the girl was sitting opposite her meant that she could see the tears that laced her eyes. She didn’t look like she’d slept much either. She reached across the table and grasped Honoka’s hand. “Hey. What happened?”  
  
“She came out to her family.” Honoka answered weakly, squeezing Nico’s hand back.   
  
Maki’s eyes widened as Eli looked away uncomfortably. Nozomi, sensing what was coming looked down at her hands.   
  
“Her dad was…awful.” Honoka continued. She paused for a moment to blink back tears and swallow against the lump in her throat. “He slapped her and told her to get out s-so she’s living with me for now. My mom told her to take the day off because she was awake most of the night crying.I was late this morning because I could tell she was upset that I had to leave and I-I didn’t want to go but I had to.”  
  
“Shit.” Eli slipped her arms around Honoka, hugging her tightly from the side.   
  
“What about your parents?” Nozomi asked quietly. “Are they okay with it? Do they know? If the two of you need somewhere to stay when they find out I’m always here.”  
  
“Thank you, Nozomi.” Honoka quickly wiped her eyes. “But my parents are fine with it. They’re actually happy it’s Umi-chan. My mom is ecstatic about it. She loves Umi-chan. Everyone in my family does…”  
  
“That’s good.” Eli murmured, gently rubbing Honoka’s back. She looked over her shoulder at Maki who was suddenly very quiet, her eyes fixed to her lap. She reached out and grasped Maki’s hand, recognizing the look of guilt on her face.   
  
Maki managed a small smile. She shouldn’t have been so quick to snap at Honoka in retaliation. She should have been calm and gentle, like Honoka had with her so many times before.   
  
Nico took a deep breath. It was a lot to take in. “Does she need us to go and get her stuff? Nozomi and I can pick it up for her if she wants. I can’t promise I won’t key her dad’s car though…”  
  
Honoka managed a giggle at that. She could imagine Nico doing that. “My dad’s going to get it today. With Yukiho, he said. I guess she must be taking the day off or they’re going later. T-There is something you can all do though. If you want.”  
  
“Anything.” Maki said sincerely.   
  
“M-Maybe you can all come after school today?” Honoka asked hopefully. “I know she’d love to see you. Especially you, Maki-chan…”  
  
“Me?” Maki asked in surprise. “Why me?”  
  
“Well she told me that you really helped her over the past few weeks.” Honoka said with a shrug of her shoulders. “I think you really make her feel better. A-And Nozomi too, you make everyone feel better when they’re upset. And Nico-chan, you can help cheer her up.”  
  
“Am I invited?” Eli joked, giving Honoka a gentle nudge.   
  
Honoka offered a small smile. “I need you there for me too. And Umi of course. Can you all come? Please?”  
  
“Of course.” Nozomi said softly. “But um…what about Kotori-chan?”  
  
Fury flitted across Honoka’s features. “She hates Umi-chan. She told me so. I don’t want her anywhere near Umi-chan right now.”  
  
Nozomi wanted to protest and tell Honoka that Kotori had only said that in the heat of the moment. She’d said so herself. She stayed quiet though, nodding mutely.


	20. Chapter 20

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks again for all of the comments and kudos etc guys, I really appreciate them. Here’s the next chapter. Hope you enjoy!
> 
> Warnings: Cheating (not so much now but past cheating), swearing, angst, sexual scenes, mention of sex toys? Um…I think that’s it. Basically M RATED.

Umi hadn’t thought that her return to school would be too overwhelming. After all, nobody really knew about what had happened besides Honoka, Maki, the third years and Hibiki and she trusted all of them not to say anything to anybody who shouldn’t know. It still felt like people were watching her though, whispering about her.   
  
She told herself to stop being paranoid and continued to rummage through her bag for the book she would need for her next class. She was sure she’d packed it away the previous night but she’d been so distracted lately.   
  
“Damn it…” She muttered to herself when she failed to brandish the book. She gritted her teeth together. She wished Honoka was with her but she’d been whisked away by someone claiming to have a ‘club emergency’. Resisting the urge to slam her fist against her locker she took a deep breath and closed her eyes, trying to focus herself. 

“Umi-chan!”  
  
Umi turned at the sound of her voice being called and her stomach plummeted when she saw Kotori running toward her. The last thing she needed was for Kotori to try to pick another fight with her about Honoka. She was about to tell her just that when Kotori reached her, colliding with her in a fierce hug. Umi’s breath left her for a moment, both because of the impact and the surprise of Kotori actually touching her. “K-Kotori?”  
  
“I heard what happened.” Kotori hugged Umi tighter, her eyes tightly closed. “Hibiki told me. Are you okay?”  
  
Umi’s breath caught in her throat, her eyes misting with tears. Hurriedly she hugged Kotori back, basking in the embrace. She hadn’t been sure Kotori would ever want to touch her again. Or even speak to her. She nodded against Kotori’s shoulder though she really wasn’t sure she was fine. She didn’t feel like it was getting easier like it was meant to.   
  
“I don’t know what to do.” She mumbled into Kotori’s shoulder, her voice slightly choked. “I don’t know what to do, Kotori.”  
  
Kotori rubbed Umi’s back, trying to soothe her while suppressing her own lingering resentment toward her. “It’s going to be okay.” She muttered though she wasn’t sure how that could be the case. For the most part the only thing she could do was stand there and keep hugging Umi as the girl clung to her.   
  
—-  
  
“I’m sorry, okay? I-I just felt like I had to tell her!” Hibiki exclaimed helplessly. Umi hadn’t even said anything since walking into the room a moment ago but Hibiki knew why she was there.   
  
Umi sighed, leaning back against the door. “You’re such a softy. I’m…kind of glad you told her though. It was…nice. With her there, trying to make me feel better. Reminds me that I miss her though.”  
  
Hibiki smiled broadly, relieved that she hadn’t done anything wrong. “I’m certain she misses you too.”  
  
Umi nodded vaguely though she wasn’t all that convinced by it. “Hibiki, have you ever had to…um…”  
  
“Come out?” Hibiki asked knowingly. Umi nodded in response. “Yeah. But it was by force…”  
  
“B-By force?” Umi’s eyes widened in surprise at the admission. “What do you mean?”  
  
“Uh…” Hibiki anxiously rubbed the back of her neck. “I don’t know if I should be telling you. I don’t want you to think any less of me…”  
  
“It won’t. I know it won’t.” Umi said quickly. She moved forward, hovering close to Hibiki’s stool. “Please?”  
  
“Umi-tan…” Hibiki trailed off helplessly as Umi stared at her pleadingly. “Fine. Um…I was messing around with an older girl and we got caught. She was the headmasters’ daughter. As far as he was concerned she could do no wrong. She said I seduced her and I ended up being kicked out.”  
  
Umi blinked at Hibiki in surprise for a moment. “Hibiki, you know Kotori is…”  
  
“Yeah. Ironic, isn’t it?” Hibiki gave a sharp laugh and ran her fingers through her hair.   
  
Umi swallowed thickly, still letting the information sink in. “Ho-How old was she?”  
  
“She was a second year from the high school division. Well that’s when I met her. I was kicked out before her graduation. When I was fourteen.” Hibiki answered, averting her gaze from Umi’s.   
  
“She was four years older than you?” Umi asked, her stomach sinking at the thought.   
  
“Hey, at least I wasn’t ten.” Hibiki awkwardly laughed the comment off. “I was…mature for my age. That’s why she liked me. Despite being short, I was usually mistaken for a high schooler when I wasn’t in my uniform.”  
  
“That’s the literal opposite of Nico…” Umi murmured to herself faintly. She shook her head, quickly snapping herself out of her daydream. “But Hibiki, about this girl…”  
  
“Come on, Umi-tan. Don’t look at me like that.” Hibiki kicked out her leg, gently nudging Umi with her foot. “It’s all in the past now. I’m just saying, I didn’t have a good experience with coming out. That’s all.” She smirked but it looked forced. “At least I lost it before you.”  
  
“Wait, you…”  
  
Hibiki nodded. “I haven’t told Kotori.” Her smile faded as quickly as she’d pasted it to her face. “I don’t want her knowing I’m used goods, not when she looks at me like…” She trailed off, a familiar feeling of gloom washing over her. “Great. My depression is acting up.” She took a deep breath, trying to push past the ache in her chest. “If what you wanted to know was how my parents took it, my dad barely talks to me about it. He told me never to talk about it and…he wants it to be an incident. A phase I’ll grow out of. He’s pretty much in denial. My mom…well she died when I was five so I barely remember her. My stepmom wants to disown me though…stupid bitch.”  
  
“Hibiki…” Umi said softly, her voice filled with sympathy.   
  
“Ugh, don’t talk to me like that.” Hibiki said with a roll of her somewhat teary eyes. “And hey just…promise me you won’t tell Kotori about this. I don’t need her looking at me the way you are now and I definitely don’t want her knowing that she’s dating dama-”  
  
“If you say damaged goods, I’ll slap you…gently.” Umi stepped closer to Hibiki and wrapped her arms around her tightly, closing her arms against her own tears. “Kotori and I have our problems but she doesn’t see things that way. She would never think of you like that. You know, she told me she likes you…”  
  
“Really?” Hibiki brightened for a moment before blushing with embarrassment. “Shut up. Of course she likes me. What’s not to like?”  
  
Umi managed a laugh and gently swatted Hibiki’s arm. “I know I wasn’t onboard at first but…you do like her, don’t you? Kotori?”  
  
“If I didn’t like her I wouldn’t be…sleeping with her. Or whatever it is we’re doing.” Hibiki lightly pushed Umi away. “Listen I’m not going to sit here and talk about how she understands me and how ridiculously pretty she is and how I admire so much about her. But I do like her. And as my friend, we can talk about how hot the sex is if you want.”  
  
“NO!” Umi exclaimed quickly. “No, no, no. Thank you. But no.”  
  
“She ties me up.” Hibiki smirked, her eyes glinting with mischief. “Not something I’m usually into but with her it’s different. She’s hot. REALLY hot. And god, does she have skill with her tongue…”  
  
Umi yelped, her face ablaze with embarrassment and covered her ears. “SHAMELESS!”   
  
Hibiki laughed at the reaction. “Sorry, Umi-tan!”  
  
—-  
  
Yukiho took a deep breath as she looked up at the house in front of her. “This place is huge. I wonder how many times our house could fit in this place.”  
  
“I really don’t want to think about that.” Yusuke said as locked up the car. He couldn’t help but look up at the place too though, wincing at the thought. “Great, now I’m thinking about it.”  
  
“Fifteen times?” Yukiho guessed, laughing when she earned a light nudge from her father. “I’m just saying.”  
  
“Brat.” Yusuke grinned as he started toward the house. “Let’s just go in there and get out with Umi’s stuff, okay? I don’t want to spend any more time in there than we have to.”  
  
“Got it.” Yukiho answered as she walked toward the doorway with her father. She stood to the side as he knocked on the door and waited for an answer. After what must have been a full two minutes, the door opened to reveal Umi’s dad standing there. Yukiho gritted her teeth, willing herself not to say anything.   
  
“Sonoda-san.” Yusuke greeted respectfully despite wanting to punch the other man square in the jaw. “We’re just here to pick up Umi’s things, as I mentioned on the phone.”  
  
Ame nodded in response and stepped out of the way to allow the two entry to the house. “If you could be quick, I would appreciate that. Her bedroom is on the second floor, third room on the right. The sooner I can get every trace of that girl out of my house the bett…OW!” He winced as Yukiho stepped on his foot. Hard.   
  
“O-Oh, I’m sorry!” Yukiho exclaimed as Ame stared at her in shock. “I’m so clumsy sometimes. I didn’t hurt you, did I?”  
  
“That’s quite alright.” Ame said, stepping quickly away. “I’ll let the two of you get her things and see yourselves out.”  
  
Yusuku put his hand on Yukiho’s shoulder to keep her from kicking Ame in the shin. Or something equally as bad. “That’s kind of you.” He said, more than a hint of sarcasm in his voice. “You’ll forgive me if I don’t pass what you said onto your daughter.”  
  
Watching Ame’s face turn red with fury was strangely satisfying but Yusuke didn’t stick around to see the aftermath. He guided Yukiho quickly up the stairs.  
  
“That was awesome!” Yukiho grinned as she followed her dad to Umi’s bedroom. “I don’t know how you don’t want to punch him though.”  
  
“I did, the guy’s a fucking asshole. I’ve wanted to punch him since we were kids.” Yusuke said angrily. “Our mother’s were close but he’s…he’s a prick.”  
  
“Swear jar times three.” Yukiho quipped as she stepped into Umi’s room. She paused and looked around, stunned by the size of it. “Whoa…”  
  
“Shit.” Yusuke muttered. Hikaru would kill him for swearing so much.   
  
“Swear jar. I’m going to be rich by the time we get home…”  
  
“Yukiho, please don’t tell your mother.” Yusuke pleaded as he closed the door behind them.   
  
“What? How am I supposed to put it in the jar?!” Yukiho asked in outrage. “Well, I guess you can give it to me under the table, huh?”  
  
“I’ll give you 2242 yen if you shut up.”   
  
“Double it and you’ve got yourself a deal.” Yukiho smirked as she walked over to Umi’s closet and threw it open. She found a duffel bag stuffed in the bottom.   
  
“Fu-” Yusuke trailed off as Yukiho turned and raised an eyebrow. “Fine. Deal.”  
  
Yusuke ran a hand over his face and sighed. “You really do take after me…”  
  
“That’s why I’m your favourite.” Yukiho pointed out as she unzipped the bag. She quickly began to toss Umi’s clothes in them, being a little bit less careful in favor of speed. “Onee-chan has your determination then. And courage.”  
  
“Yeah well your mother still scares me.” Yusuke muttered, glancing around. He spotted a set of drawers across the room and headed over to it.  
  
“Whoa, wait!” Yukiho exclaimed. “How about we switch? I don’t think Umi-san would be happy to find out you’ve seen her underwear.”  
  
Yusuke paused and smacked his forehead with the heel of his hand. “Good idea. I’m still scarred from seeing your mother’s when I’m not supposed to…”  
  
“Oh yeah, she told me the story of how you two met. With you bumping into each other and you…”  
  
“IT WAS AN ACCIDENT!” Yusuke exclaimed, his cheeks flushing with embarrassment. “Just switch with me, okay?”  
  
Yukiho laughed to herself as she switched with her dad. They were silent for a few minutes, each of them focusing on getting Umi’s things into her bag.   
  
When all of Umi’s clothes were in the bag, including her uniform, Yusuke glanced around. “Um…I believe we should get her toiletries.”  
  
“Good idea. She must have specific products compared to our stuff.” Yukiho made her way to the en-suite bathroom to get what Umi would need.   
  
“She’ll need her toothbrush too!” Yusuke called to Yukiho who emerged a moment later, her arms full of shampoos, conditioners and other products Yusuke wasn’t sure of.   
  
“Got it.” Yukiho put the products into the bag before she zipped it up. “Remember when Onee-chan hated brushing her teeth so you had to do it for her? I remember I could always hear her complaining in the bathroom.”  
  
Yusuke chuckled under his breath. “She may have hated it but it had to be done. She has your mother’s smile…”  
  
“You should tell that story at the wedding. If you make a speech.” Yukiho suggested with a shrug of her shoulders.  
  
Yusuke gave a nervous laugh and blushed. “I don’t know about that. I’ve never been good with crowds. People get intimidated.”  
  
“They shouldn’t judge a book by it’s cover. You’re a big softy. Even if you do swear a lot.” Yukiho walked over to Umi’s nightstand and picked up a photograph, of Honoka, Umi and Kotori when they were younger. “Is it really okay if Umi-san stays with us? Even if it’s until she graduates or something?”  
  
Yusuke paused before answering. “She needs a home. I don’t want her to be afraid. Nobody deserves to go it alone for something they were born as. So yeah, it’s okay for her to stay with us if that’s what she needs.”  
  
Yukiho walked across the room and hugged her dad tightly, his arms going around her in return.  
  
—-  
Kotori closed her eyes, letting the music playing through Hibiki’s room wash over her. “So where are you parents anyway?”  
  
Hibiki, who was lying on the bed next to Kotori, shrugged her shoulders. “Some kind of business trip. This happens a lot.”  
  
“Okay.” Kotori rolled onto her front and leaned up on her arms, looking down at Hibiki. Something caught her attention on the bedside table though and she looked over at it. It was a picture, of a woman and a young girl. Only four of five, Kotori would have guessed. “Who’s that?”  
  
Hibiki followed Kotori’s gaze to the picture. “Uh…that’s my mom.” She felt tears prickle annoyingly at her eyes. “She died a year after that…”  
  
“Oh.” Kotori’s eyes widened in surprise at the admission. “Oh…Hibiki, I’m so sorry.”  
  
Hibiki shrugged her shoulders and wiped quickly at her eyes to make sure Kotori didn’t see her tears. “It’s not like it’s your fault. Just forget I said anything. I don’t usually talk about my parents.”  
  
“Okay.” Kotori said softly. “But you can if you want to. Talk to me, I mean. I’m your friend, right? So we can talk about…anything you want. I’m good at listening.”  
  
“What can I say? Cancer is a bitch.” Hibiki muttered, willing the tears to stop filling her eyes. She absolutely could NOT cry in front of Kotori. “She was a painter too. I get it from her.”  
  
“That’s sweet.” Kotori said with a small smile. She reached over, placing her hand gently on Hibiki’s stomach, causing her to flinch. “It’s okay, it’s just me.”  
  
Hibiki reluctantly met Kotori’s soft stare and felt her lower lip start to tremble. “I hate when you look at me like that…”  
  
“Like what?” Kotori asked, unable to hide her surprise. “I’m not looking at you like anything.”  
  
“Like you want to understand. Like you care about me.” Hibiki answered softly. “You shouldn’t want to care about me, Kotori.”  
  
“Kind of too late for that.” Kotori said with a shrug of her shoulders. “You’re my friend. Of course I care about you. Why wouldn’t I? I mean…I wouldn’t have slept with you if I didn’t.”  
  
“Well now you know. Some of it.” Hibiki said quietly. “Bad girls always have a bad past. We don’t become like this for no reason, you know?”  
  
Kotori nodded and settled down next to Hibiki. “Turn onto your other side, okay? Facing away from me. Please?”  
  
Hibiki hesitated but did as she was told, turning onto her right side. She felt a warm body press up against hers a moment later, an arm sliding around her waist and suddenly she was being held against Kotori’s warm body. “Kotori…”  
  
“It’s okay.” Kotori lightly kissed the space behind Hibiki’s ear. “It’s okay, I’m right here. Just let me hug you for a little while, okay? I give good hugs, everyone says so.”  
  
Hibiki gave a choked laugh at that and clutched Kotori’s hand in front of her chest. “You really do. I need to move though.”  
  
“Okay.” Kotori loosened her embrace, expecting Hibiki to pull away. Instead the blonde turned over and huddled close to Kotori, burying her face in her chest. She cried softly, so quiet that Kotori could barely hear but her shoulders shook.   
  
Kotori gently pressed her lips to the top of Hibiki’s head, trying to soothe her. She rubbed her back in gentle circles, content to stay where she was until Hibiki calmed down. She was surprised by how small the girl suddenly looked. She’d never seemed so small before. Maybe that was because of her confidence, she supposed.   
  
Finally, Hibiki drew away, wiping her eyes. “I-I’m sorry. That’s…shit, that’s embarrassing.”  
  
“Don’t be embarrassed around me.” Kotori said softly, brushing her fingers across Hibiki’s cheek. Hibiki looked up and Kotori noticed that she wasn’t wearing her piercings. Her hair was a mess but she looked nothing short of adorable in her simple shorts and t-shirt. “You’re beautiful…”  
  
“A-Are you kidding?” Hibiki asked, turning red. “I don’t even have makeup on and I should really repaint my nai-”  
  
Kotori cut Hibiki off with a sudden kiss, cupping her face gently in her hands. “I really really like you, Hibiki. Seriously.”  
  
“I’m not sure why.” Hibiki said with an awkward laugh. “Maybe you need better taste.”  
  
“I have fantastic taste.” Kotori smirked, her hands falling to Hibiki’s shoulders. “Hey, look at me.” She ducked her head to lock eyes with Hibiki. “I get to decide who I like, don’t I? All I need to know is whether you like me. Do you?”  
  
“Who wouldn’t like you? You’re amazing, I just…” Hibiki trailed off uncertainly.   
  
 _“I-I really like you, Ryoko.” A younger Hibiki announced nervously.  
  
“I really like you too, Hibicchi. You’re a really cool girl despite being so short.” Another girl said, smiling in response.   
  
Hibiki sighed. “I’m serious!”  
  
“So am I!” Ryoko exclaimed, taking Hibiki’s hands. “I really really like you, Hibiki.”_  
  
“Hibiki?” Kotori prompted when Hibiki seemed to space out. She gave a worried smile as Hibiki blinked rapidly. “Hey…are you still with me?”  
  
“I don’t know.” Hibiki said faintly, distracted by the memory. It seemed like just yesterday in some ways. “I…had my heart broken before, Kotori. I’m not ready to tell you my true feelings. Just know they are good feelings. Please. Just give me some time, okay?”  
  
“Of course.” Kotori whispered. She began to move away but Hibiki grabbed her hand to stop her.   
  
“I said time, not distance.” Hibiki tugged Kotori toward her again. “Can we maybe just go back to the hugging? That was nice.”  
  
“You’re such a softy.” Kotori said, smiling softly as she took Hibiki back into her arms.   
  
Hibiki didn’t complain about the light teasing. She held Kotori close, basking in the embrace. “You’re warmer than her. You’re so warm…” She mumbled, almost to herself.   
  
“Too warm?” Kotori asked, assuming Hibiki was talking about body heat. “Honoka-chan always said I was like a furnace when she slept over…”  
  
Hibiki laughed and shook her head. “No, it’s perfect.” She leaned up and kissed Kotori as gently as she could, her fingers sliding into soft, ashen hair. “You’re perfect.”  
  
  
—-  
  
Maki hovered nervously behind Eli as they waited for Nozomi to open the door. Nozomi had invited Eli over to study and had mentioned that Maki could come too if she wanted to. As worried as Maki felt she couldn’t help but smile at how happy Eli looked as she waited for Nozomi to open the door. She knew how much it meant for her to have her best friend back.   
  
Nozomi opened the door and smirked at the look on Maki’s face. “You’re not even in the apartment yet and you’re already looking at her like that. Do you need a minute, Maki-chan?”  
  
“Ah, no!” Maki exclaimed, looking away as Eli looked at her curiously. “I’m fine. Um…thank you for having me.”  
  
“No need to be so formal. Come in.” Nozomi wandered back into the house, letting the two of them enter behind her.   
  
“About time, you two!” Nico groaned from the living room. “We’ve been studying for an hour! Have you even started yet, Eli?!”  
  
Eli rolled her eyes as she took off her jacket. “Not yet!”  
  
“That’s not like you.” Nozomi teased, leading the two of them into the living room. “I assume you’ve been distracted? Not that I wouldn’t if I had a hot, younger girlfriend.”  
  
“HEY!” Nico snapped, lifting her head. “I heard that!”  
  
“I’m kidding, I’m kidding…” Nozomi laughed, returning to her seat at the table next to Nico. 

“You have studied though?” Maki mumbled, confused by Eli’s denial.   
  
“I just want to piss Nico off.” Eli whispered back, leaning close to Maki. “She doesn’t need to know everything, right?”  
  
“Oh…” Maki said quietly. She blushed when Eli quickly kissed her cheek.   
  
“Nico is making dinner too. So we can eat after we study.” Nozomi said as Eli and Maki joined them at the table. “Ah, Maki-chan…this might be a bit boring for you. I didn’t think…”  
  
“No, it’s fine! I brought my own textbooks. I need to study too.” Maki said quickly. She wasn’t sure how she felt around Nozomi now. She didn’t feel awkward but she felt like she needed to be more careful with what she said. She knew she didn’t really deserve her forgiveness.   
  
Nozomi nodded and the four girls fell silent as they began to study, Eli and Maki taking their books out of their bags to start doing so.   
  
About twenty minutes passed by until Eli noticed Nozomi hadn’t moved her pen in a short while. “What’s wrong?”  
  
“Nothing, I’m just stuck on a question.” Nozomi sighed.   
  
Eli leaned across the table to look at it. “Ugh, math. I’m not the best at math. Maki is though.”  
  
“You are?” Nozomi shot Maki a hopeful look.   
  
Maki shrugged sheepishly. “I’ll take a look if you want.” She skirted around the table to Nozomi and looked at the question. “Oh, I know this. I’ve been studying it for the past couple of weeks.”  
  
“You do third year math in your first year?” Nico asked skeptically.   
  
“Uh…no, I do this on my own. First year math is easy.” Maki said hesitantly. As she’d predicted, Nico scoffed and rolled her eyes. “What? I have to get top grades. A-Anyway, I’ll show you how to do this, Nozomi…”  
  
Nozomi hummed in response and looked down as Maki began to explain how to work out the math problem. She barely paid attention though, distracted by the way Maki kept glancing over at Eli. “Hey, Maki-chan. Will you come with me to check on dinner?”  
  
“Eh?!” Nico looked up in outrage. “I’M cooking.”  
  
“Fine, then you can come too. Elichi, you stay here, okay?” Nozomi got up, tugging Maki with her and quickly went to the kitchen. Nico followed close behind.   
  
“Nozomi, I don’t really know anything about cooking…” Maki said warily as Nozomi tugged her into the kitchen. “Um…”  
  
“You keep staring at Elichi.” Nozomi pointed out, keeping her voice hushed. She could still see Eli from where she was standing. “You’re not going to pop the question, are you?”  
  
“NO!” Maki exclaimed loudly, causing Eli to look up from studying.   
  
“Is everything okay?” Eli called in concern.   
  
“Y-Yeah, everything’s fine!” Maki stuttered back, looking over her shoulder at Eli. She waited until the blonde went back to studying before she turned to Nozomi again. “No, of course not….not yet.”  
  
“Not yet?” Nozomi smirked as Nico checked on the food. “So you will? When? Don’t think I haven’t noticed those matching bracelets you’re wearing.”  
  
“Ah, I don’t know! The bracelets are just…a graduation gift.” Maki looked down at her own bracelet. “I’m not planning anything yet. But I am thinking about something.”  
  
“Spit it out then.” Nico sighed, turning away from the stove. “I want to go back to studying.”  
  
“It’s…really personal.” Maki said, her cheeks turning red. She really didn’t want to have to say what she was thinking. “It’s…you know, sex stuff.”  
  
Nozomi looked unfazed. “So? Come on, Maki-chan. Spill it.”  
  
Maki looked over her shoulder at Eli. “Damn it, I’m…I-I was just thinking about new ways to…you know, like um…get her off. And I was looking some things up and…”  
  
“You want to fuck her with a dildo.” Nico concluded for her.   
  
“NICO!” Maki yelped, embarrassed beyond belief.  
  
Eli finally stood up and made her way to the kitchen in time to hear Nico’s next comment.   
  
“You’re going to need lube.”  
  
“Huh?” Eli stopped short in the doorway, her eyes shifting between her embarrassed girlfriend, a smug looking Nico and a snickering Nozomi. “Wait…who needs lube? Why would anyone need…?”  
  
“I’m going to the bathroom!” Maki squeaked, quickly dashing past Eli.   
  
“Maki…” Eli turned toward Nozomi and Nico, fixing them with an accusing look. “What did you say to her?”  
  
“Just some lighthearted fun, Elichi. Don’t worry.” Nozomi said reassuringly. “We were talking about our sex lives, that’s all. Maki-chan just got embarrassed.”  
  
Eli huffed and crossed her arms in front of her chest. “I don’t appreciate you ganging up on her…”  
  
Nozomi laughed and reached out to touch Eli’s arm. “Nobody’s picking on her, don’t worry.”  
  
“Eli, do you really let the first year top you?” Nico asked, clearly amused. “For real?”  
  
“EH?!” Eli’s eyes widened in surprise. “H-How do you…? Damn it, Maki…”  
  
“Well she was telling us about how she wants to get you off.” Nico explained smugly. “Makes me think she starts it.”  
  
“You really are spoiled sometimes, Elichi.” Nozomi chimed in, smirking as the blonde looked between them, at a loss.   
  
“I’m going to check on Maki.” Eli said faintly, turning around. She made a beeline for the bathroom.   
  
“Make sure she doesn’t push you against a wall and have her way with you!” Nico teased.  
  
Eli rolled her eyes as she made her way to the bathroom, doing her best to ignore the laughter behind her. Those two were really too much sometimes. She noticed the door to the bathroom was slightly ajar and let herself in, finding Maki staring at herself in the mirror. “Maki?”  
  
Maki turned around and grabbed Eli’s shirt, drawing her into a deep kiss. She pushed her back against the door to close it and pressed herself flush against Eli.   
  
Eli almost laughed at the irony. Nico had told her this was going to happen. She relented though, wrapping her arms around Maki’s neck.   
  
“Do you want to know what I asked?” Maki mumbled against Eli’s lips, snaking her hand under the blonde’s shirt.   
  
Eli nodded. “Y-Yeah. What’s this about lube…?”  
  
Maki bit down on Eli’s neck, sucking on it sharply. She pressed forward, slipping her knee between Eli’s legs. “I want to try something new. Something…really dirty. I don’t know if either of us will like it but I want to try it.”  
  
Eli whimpered at the pressure of Maki’s knee. “W-What is it?”  
  
“It’s a secret.” Maki whispered, letting her lips brush against Eli’s. “You’ll find out soon enough though.” She gripped Eli’s ass, earning herself a load moan.   
  
A sudden knock on the door caused Eli to jump in alarm. “I told you two not to fuck in there.” Nico said accusingly.   
  
“We’ll be out in a minute!” Eli called back, casting a heated glance at Maki who chuckled under her breath.   
  
“I’m still not telling you.” Maki kissed Eli once more before she stepped around her and opened the door. “Sorry, Nico-chan.”   
  
She smiled innocently at Nico and went back to the living room, making sure to add a sway to her hips for Eli’s benefit.   
  
—  
  
“So um…” Umi cleared her throat, looking awkwardly between Kotori and Hibiki as they walked along. Honoka wasn’t really saying much. “Hibiki was telling me that you met when she bumped into you in the rain?”  
  
Kotori nodded simply in response. “I was shopping for fabric. She bumped into me and made me drop my bags. And then she dragged me over to a bus stop and forced me to take her jacket.”  
  
“You make it sound weird.” Hibiki huffed. “It was romantic. I was being chivalrous.”  
  
“I think it was sweet.” Kotori said, lowering her voice slightly so Umi and Honoka couldn’t hear what she was saying. “You’re sweet.”  
  
Honoka was too busy watching Hibiki to listen in anyway. The girl looked as cool as always, her bleach blonde hair falling around her shoulders under her cap. She was wearing a black over the shoulder long sleeve shirt, a jean skirt with black legging underneath, a brown cord jacket and as always she was wearing her red chucks. What caught Honoka’s attention though were the piercings in her ears. “You have double piercings!”   
  
“Huh? Oh yeah…” Hibiki lightly touched the piercings. “I’m thinking about getting my bellybutton pierced too maybe.”  
  
Kotori faltered in her step, rather indecent images flashing through her mind. She didn’t say anything though.   
  
“Oooh maybe I could get mine done.” Honoka lifted her shirt slightly, staring down at her own stomach until Umi yelped in alarm and pushed it down.   
  
“Honoka, we’re in public!”  
  
Hibiki noticed Kotori’s reaction and leaned close, lowering her voice to a whisper. “Or maybe bm nipples, hmm? Or I could get a tongue piercing to really…”  
  
“I get it, I get it!” Kotori said quickly, her face aflame with embarrassment. “S-So what are we going to do first? You don’t come to an amusement park just to walk around, do you?”  
  
Honoka scoffed and rolled her eyes, earning herself a nudge from Umi.   
  
“Be nice.”  
  
“This was a stupid idea.” Honoka whispered back. “Who goes on a double date with their ex-girlfriend and the girl she cheated on her ex-girlfriend with and the girl who confessed to her current girlfriend?!”  
  
“Please, Honoka.” Umi said with a sigh. “I want this to go well. I miss her and I know you do too even if you’re angry with her for some reason.”  
  
Honoka grumbled under her breath.   
  
“I saw some food stalls nearby.” Hibiki suggested, her hand grazing Kotori’s. She pulled away slightly when she felt Kotori flinch. “Um…or I could do one of those games where I win you something?” She winced as soon as the words left her mouth. Maybe that was too coupley. “We could go on a rollercoaster?”  
  
Kotori thought about that for a moment before she looked over at Umi. “What do you think Umi? Should we go on a rollercoaster.”  
  
“I’d rather not.” Umi muttered, looking a bit sick at the thought. “Let’s do the second one. The games. I bet I can win more for Honoka than you can win for Kotori, Hibiki.”  
  
“You’re on, Umi-tan!” Hibiki grinned and hit her open palm with her fist.   
  
“I hope you don’t shoot yourself this time.” Umi quipped as the two picked up their pace to get to the nearest stall, leaving Honoka and Kotori alone. Their gazes met for a split second before they both looked away.   
  
“So how are we going to do this?” Hibiki asked, coming to a stop at the stall. “We both play three times and the person with the most wins overall?”  
  
“Sure. Whatever you want.” Umi said with a cocky smile. “I’ll let you go first.”  
  
“Game on.” Hibiki paid the man at the stall and glanced at the instructions. “Shoot three ducks down to win. Oh, this is…” She trailed off, a feeling of dread washing over her. She was playing against the best archer in the school. “Okay, I’ve got this.”  
  
“Try not to get a pellet in your hand like last time with the arrow.” Umi teased, leaning into Honoka’s side as she watched Hibiki line up the shot.   
  
“Screw you!” Hibiki retorted. She took a deep breath and aimed carefully. She fired but missed. She hit the second time but missed again the third and fourth. “Damn it!”  
  
“Oh, my turn?” Umi took the gun from Hibiki and paid what she needed to before she lined up her own shot. She easily managed to knock down all three ducks. “YES!”  
  
Honoka grinned proudly. The guy manning the stall looked to her but she shook her head. “I’ll wait to collect all of my winnings at the end.”  
  
Umi laughed nervously as she handed the gun to Hibiki. “I don’t know if you should have that much confidence in me…”  
  
Hibiki huffed out a sigh. At this rate she wasn’t going to be able to win anything. She lined up her shot and took it, hitting one duck. She hit the next one too but missed the third. “God DAMN IT!”  
  
“You’re getting there.” Umi said encouragingly, noticing Hibiki looked disappointed in herself. She took the gun and fired her shots off, wincing guiltily when she managed to hit all three and Hibiki let out a cry of dismay. “Sorry…”  
  
“I’m not going to stop until I win that damn bird!” Hibiki took the gun again and focused as intently as she could. Her first shot hit the duck, as did her second. She paused for a moment, adjusting her grip before she shot a third time. She managed to hit the duck this time. “FINALLY! Hey, you. Can I get the Rowlett for my…friend, over here?”  
  
“Sure.” The guy took down the plushie and handed it to Hibiki who turned to Kotori, proudly holding it out to her. “A bird for my little bird.”  
  
Kotori held back a laugh with her hand. “You’re so cute sometimes.” She took the plushie, hugging it to her chest. “Thank you.”  
  
Hibiki beamed at the response. “Let’s go and get something to eat, okay?” She glanced back at Umi who was taking her shot. “Uh…they can catch up.”  
  
Kotori nodded and followed Hibiki away from Honoka and Umi.   
  
—  
  
Kotori wasn’t sure where Honoka and Umi had gone off to but she couldn’t bring herself to care. She was too content, sitting with Hibiki’s, a container of fries between the two of them. The park was busy but they had finally managed to find a free table to sit at.   
  
“Sorry I couldn’t win you anything else.” Hibiki said with a sheepish smile. “I guess those games aren’t my thing. Besides, Umi-tan had an unfair advantage. I wonder what Hocchi chose…”  
  
Kotori finished chewing contemplatively on a fry and turned to Hibiki. “Hey, can I ask you something?”

“Uh…sure.” Hibiki said with a hesitant shrug.   
  
“Why don’t I have a nickname?” Kotori asked hesitantly. “I mean I know you like giving people them. Umi-chan, Honoka-chan, Maki-chan. So I was wondering why you don’t give me one.”  
  
“Oh geez…” Hibiki mumbled. She felt her face heat up with embarrassment. “I just really like your name. It suits you, it’s cute. Anyway…” She gestured toward her mouth. “Feeeed me.”  
  
Kotori laughed under her breath and reached for a fry. “You’re so spoiled.” She mumbled, moving the fry to Hibiki’s lips. She was surprised when the girl took it into her mouth, gently clamping her teeth down on her fingers. She blushed, drawing her fingers back. “You’re such a tease.”  
  
Hibiki gave a scoff and shook her head. “Not if I intend to follow through on my teasing. Which I very much do, when we get back to my place.”  
  
“Don’t tell me that, I’ll want to leave now.” Kotori muttered, glancing away.   
  
Hibiki laughed under her breath but relented, deciding not to tease Kotori any further. She leaned back, taking in the sights and sounds around them for a few minutes. She reached for a fry at the same time as Kotori and they both jerked their hands back.   
  
“Sorry.” Kotori said, motioning for Hibiki to go ahead first.   
  
Hibiki did so with a soft sigh. “Hey um…I get that we’re just friends and all. Intimate friends but just friends. But can I hold your hand? Would it bother you if I did?”  
  
“N-No, not at all. I kind of wanted you to earlier, when we were walking.” Kotori answered, a bit flustered. “I mean…I would really like it if you held my hand. If you want to do that.”  
  
Hibiki grinned and reached for Kotori’s hand, entwining their fingers. The hand in her own was warm and soft. “I could get used to this…”  
  
Kotori smiled bashfully and ducked her head. She was sure she could too. She was surprised by just how attached to Hibiki she was, even after such a short amount of time. “Let’s just…”  
  
She was about to suggest that they just go home when Honoka and Umi entered her line of sight. She visibly deflated. She’d really wanted some time alone with Hibiki.   
  
Honoka was holding a puppy plushie under one arm, a stuffed bear in the other. She sat down at the table and automatically reached across to steal some of Kotori’s fries. It was only when she’d shoved a handful into her mouth that she hesitated.   
  
“Sorry.” She mumbled, her mouth full.   
  
Kotori shrugged in response and Umi and Hibiki shared a look. Umi had said it would be awkward but this was ridiculous. Honoka and Kotori had barely spoken since they’d gotten to the park.   
  
“Hey um…let’s do something together.” Umi spoke up suddenly. “Let’s go to the haunted house! It’ll be fun!”  
  
“I never took you for a haunted house kind of….” Hibiki trailed off as Umi tilted her head toward Honoka and Kotori. “Ooh right. Yeah, let’s do it! I’m getting bored, just sitting here.”  
  
Honoka bit her lip uncertainly but she didn’t want to say no to Umi. Her girlfriend had been so upset lately. “Okay…”  
  
Kotori nodded in reluctant agreement and they got up from their table.   
  
“Are we doing what I think we’re doing?” Hibiki whispered to Umi who flashed her a coy smile and gave a slight nod of her head.   
  
Hibiki was quickly distracted by a hand sliding into her own. She glanced at Kotori who gave a nervous smile. Beaming herself, Hibiki squeezed Kotori’s hand. “Let’s get going then.”  
  
As the four of them walked to where the haunted house was, Honoka looped her arm through Umi’s and pressed close to her side. Umi winced, remembering that Honoka was probably going to freak out. “You’ll be alright.” She said softly, rubbing Honoka’s hand.   
  
“As long as Umi-chan is there.” Honoka said softly.   
  
Umi’s stomach knotted with guilt. Maybe it wasn’t such a good idea. She didn’t want Honoka to be afraid and she knew her girlfriend would be without her there. She was about to change her mind but they had already reached the haunted house and Honoka had let go of her arm, a determined look on her face.   
  
“Alright, let’s go.” Hibiki tugged Kotori forward and pushed them both in, the doors closing abruptly behind them.   
  
“W-Wait, what?!” Honoka turned toward the door only to find it closed tightly behind them. “Umi-chan! UMI-CHAN! Damn it…”  
  
Kotori sighed as she looked around, trying to get her bearings in the dark. “Looks like the only way out is forward…”  
  
“Damn it.” Honoka repeated, resting her forehead against the door. She turned toward Kotori, the awkwardness she’d felt all night returning. “Why do you think they locked us in here?”  
  
Kotori shrugged and reached out, grabbing Honoka’s hand. “Come on. I used to have to drag you and Umi-chan out of here crying when we were kids. Let’s just get through this as quickly as possible, alright?”  
  
“Why do you even care? I thought you hated me.” Honoka said as Kotori led her further into the house. She was thinking about pulling her hand away when she heard a creak and flinched toward Kotori.   
  
“Honoka-chan, I don’t hate you. I was upset. I was upset at a lot of things.” Kotori whispered, seeing no need to speak at a higher volume. “I was upset with you and Umi-chan for….what you did. And myself for not seeing it coming. I was stupid and naive and I really liked you a-and I might have used your feelings for Umi and her feelings for you against you. I should have at least told Umi-chan that I knew.”  
  
Honoka wasn’t sure what to say to that. “You’re no-” She trailed off, screaming as a ‘mummy’ jumped out at her. Quickly enough, Kotori hurried them away and Honoka took a shuddering breath to calm down. “Um…I was…you’re not going to hurt, Biki-chan, right?”  
  
“I don’t go out of my way to hurt people, Honoka.” Kotori said, a bit disappointed that Honoka had to ask her that. “Of course I won’t. I’m not going to walk away from her.”  
  
“I think she really likes you.” Honoka said quietly, thinking back to Hibiki’s disappointment with herself earlier.   
  
“Surprised?” Kotori asked without really thinking about it. “Uh…sorry. I like her too. I really do.”  
  
Honoka fell silent as they continued to walk, jumping at the occasional fright. “I’m sorry too.” She finally said, glancing at Kotori. “I should have just told you how I really felt. I shouldn’t have ever said yes, I just…wanted to feel that way about you. I didn’t want to turn you down or hurt you. You’re my best friend.”  
  
“Still your best friend?” Kotori tugged Honoka close to her side as someone jumped out at them. Thankfully the shock was less than if Honoka hadn't been standing right there.   
  
“Of course.” Honoka said with a small smile. “And you’re Umi’s too.”  
  
“Good. I…could never really hate her, you know that, right? I just said that because I was hurt and angry and…I don’t know. It felt good to lash out.” Kotori said with a helpless shrug. She noticed the sign for the exit straight ahead. “I hate her dad though. I want to kick him in the nuts. Or key his stupidly expensive car.”  
  
“Kotori-chan!” Honoka exclaimed in surprise. “Maybe you’ve been spending a bit too much time with Biki-chan?”

“I don’t think that’s possible…” Kotori said thoughtfully as she pushed the door open. They emerged into the outside air and almost immediately spotted Umi and Hibiki.   
  
“I’m sorry, Honoka!” Umi quickly rushed to Honoka. She looked guilty, worried and relieved all at once. “Are you okay? You weren’t too scared, were you?” She cupped Honoka’s face in her hands, worriedly looking her over.   
  
“I’m fine, Umi-chan.” Honoka reassured her worried girlfriend. “I’m not happy that you tricked me into going in there though.”  
  
Hibiki walked over to Kotori and wrapped her arms around her waist. “You seem calm.”  
  
Kotori gave a soft laugh. “When we see a horror movie you’ll realize I’m immune.”  
  
“Crap, no way are you dragging me to a fucking horror movie. I hate them.” Hibiki said, her eyes wide with panic.   
  
Kotori giggled at Hibiki’s dramatics and surprised her by pressing a light kiss to her lips. “How is it possible for someone as bad as you to be so damn cute?”  
  
“Shut up.” Hibiki grumbled, lightly swatting Kotori’s arm.  
  
“Hey, what are you guys doing here?!”   
  
The four of them looked up, recognizing the voice only to see Nozomi, Nico, Eli and Maki walking toward them. Nico was grumbling under her breath, a panda tucked under her arm while Eli was carrying a fox plushie and holding Maki’s hand. It was Nozomi who had called out, jogging forward with Nico.   
  
“Double date.” Honoka answered. Umi was happy to hear that she didn’t sound as displeased about it as she had a few hours ago. “What about you?”  
  
“Double date.” Maki echoed as she and Eli came to a stop near the others. She supposed it was laughable that half of the people there were ex’s   
  
“Oh, Biki-chan! I didn’t know you’d be here.” Nozomi gave the girl a swift hug before she stepped back, taking Nico’s hand again.   
  
“So how do you know Hibiki, Kotori?” Nico asked curiously, noticing how friendly the two seemed to be. “Is she your new…?”  
  
“Friend.” Kotori said quickly when Nozomi looked at her. She didn’t want Hibiki to feel pressured into anything. “My um…good friend.”  
  
“Oh?” Nico looked between Kotori and Hibiki who looked a little bit disappointed. “Oooh, I see. Like Nozomi used to be my…”  
  
“Okay, we get it, Nicocchi.” Nozomi interjected quickly. She hastened to change the subject. “Nicocchi and I were goi-”  
  
“It’s not like that.” Kotori said sharply, effectively cutting Nozomi off. “I care about her. I’m not using her for anything.”  
  
“Didn’t say you were.” Nico said with a roll of her eyes. “I don’t know if you’ve noticed but I’m dating Nozomi now? I love her? If anything I’m giving you too much credit…”  
  
“Alright, alright!” Eli stepped between the two before Kotori could make a retort. “Let’s just all have a good night, okay? We can go on the ferris wheel or…”  
  
“Go for food?” Honoka asked hopefully. She flushed when everyone turned to her. “I haven’t eaten yet. Neither has Umi-chan.”  
  
Kotori saw her chance and grabbed it. “Hibiki and I already ate so we’ll go ahead. Call me when you want to leave!” Without another word, she hurried off, tugging Hibiki with her.   
  
“Kotori…” Hibiki protested, her face red with embarrassment. She smiled when the second year glanced at her. “Nothing. Here…” She took her cap off her head and put it on Kotori instead. “You look cute in it.”  
  


Kotori grinned and adjusted the cap on her head. “I’m already wearing your jacket though…”  
  
“Just like a boo.” Hibiki smirked.   
  
Kotori laughed in response and squeezed Hibiki’s hand. “God you’re obsessed with the west…”  
  
“Can’t help it, their lingo rocks.” Hibiki teased, bumping her shoulder against Kotori’s.   
  
“Ah, stop.” The second year in question groaned though she looked mostly amused.   
  
Hibiki couldn’t quite wipe the smile from her face. “So do you wanna go on the ferris wheel with me or what?”  
  
“Sure. Unless you’re scared?” Kotori playfully hip-checked Hibiki who let out a playful growl of annoyance.  
  
“No chance.” Hibiki answered with a grin. She grabbed Kotori’s hand again and hurriedly led her off toward the ferris wheel. Thankfully, the line wasn’t all that long and within a few minutes they were seated.   
  
“Are you sure you don’t want to hold my hand?” Kotori teased, holding out her hand. She was surprised when Hibiki immediately grasped it.   
  
“What?” Hibiki asked smugly, noticing the look. “You asked whether I wanted to hold your hand, not whether I’m scared.”  
  
Kotori shook her head in amusement and leaned back, closing her eyes as the ride began to move. “This is kind of…romantic, huh?”  
  
“I suppose so.” Hibiki glanced at Kotori was a small smile. “I don’t mind it much, do you?” She shifted closer, her leg brushing against Kotori’s.   
  
“I like it.” Kotori admitted, reaching up to brush Hibiki’s hair from her face. She heard the girl’s breath hitch and leaned in to kiss her slowly. “I really like you.”  
  
Instead of answering, Hibiki cupped Kotori’s face in her hands and drew her into a deep kiss. She didn’t want to say the same thing. She felt it but she wasn’t ready to admit it out loud. She would only end up getting hurt if she said something like that. She slid her fingers into Kotori’s hair and drew her closer, tracing her tongue over the girl’s lower lip.   
  
Kotori whimpered almost inaudibly and parted her lips for Hibiki’s tongue. She turned, leaning into the kiss as Hibiki’s tongue met her own. Feeling the girl’s hand go to her hip, tugging her closer, Kotori crawled into her lap, straddling her. She pushed her fingers into Hibiki’s hair and kissed her harder, needing to feel every inch of the girl’s mouth.   
  
Hibiki slid her hands up Kotori’s thighs, under her skirt, trailing them over every inch of her thighs and ass as Kotori whimpered against her lips. It was getting to be addictive, taking so many risks with Kotori.   
  
Kotori’s lips slid away from her own and Hibiki had the brief thought that she was going to pull away. Kotori’s lips were on her neck a moment later though, teeth grazing against her skin and her tongue soothing the sting. “Fuck…”  
  
Kotori grinned against Hibiki’s lips and lowered herself down further so that she was sitting in the girl’s lap. “I guess it makes sense that you’d be an exhibitionist.” She murmured against her friend’s skin. “Does it turn you on? Thinking about doing it up here with all of those people down below?”  
  
Hibiki whimpered and shifted beneath Kotori. She didn’t answer but that was more than enough of a response.   
  
“We only have about twenty minutes.” Kotori mumbled, her hand sliding to Hibiki’s chest. She squeezed her breast through her clothes and grinned innocently. “I don’t know what we could do with that time…”  
  
Hibiki swallowed thickly. “C-Come on, Kotori…”  
  
“It’s a good thing you have a skirt on.” Kotori looked down, an idea formulating in her mind. Smirking to herself, she slid off Hibiki’s lap and knelt on the floor. “Take off your tights and panties and scoot closer to the edge of your seat.”  
  
Her eyes wide, Hibiki did as she was told, only standing briefly. When she went to sit back down though, Kotori was there, pushing her skirt up, all the way to her hips.   
  
Hibiki gasped slightly when she sat down, the seat a lot colder without clothes in the way. “Kotori, what are…?” She trailed off with another gasp as Kotori pushed her legs apart and wasting no time in moving her head between her legs, licking firmly at her centre. “Shit!”  
  
She closed her eyes and bit her lip as Kotori’s tongue roamed freely over her, licking everywhere it could reach. She yelped as she felt two fingers slide easily inside of her. “Oh fuck…Kotori!”  
  
Kotori paid Hibiki no mind, too focused on what she was doing. She thrust her fingers quickly, having realizing that Hibiki was more than ready and licked and sucked at the girl’s clit. She basked in the answering sounds from Hibiki. The girl really did moan, groan, whine and whimper beautifully. Her hands slid around to Hibiki’s ass, pulling the girl closer to her face.   
  
Kotori stood up, feeling Hibiki relax. Noticing the girl seemed a bit out of it, she helped her up and tugged her skirt back up for her before she helped her put her tights back on.   
  
“I think I’ll keep these.” She smirked, pocketing Hibiki’s panties.   
  
Hibiki was panting heavily as Kotori joined her back on the seat. “W-What the hell…?”  
  
“I have my own secrets, Hibiki.” Kotori said with a mysterious smile.   
  
“Ah fuck, I’m a terrible influence.” Hibiki muttered, brushing her hair back from her face.   
  
“No, you just make me feel free.” Kotori disagreed softly  
  
  
—  
  
Maki grinned to herself as she watched Eli carefully place her fox plush on her bedside table, leaning it against the lamp so it didn’t fall over.   
  
Eli glanced at Maki and rolled her eyes at the look on her face. “I still think this should be the other way round.”  
  
“What? Just because you’re older than me?” Maki grabbed Eli’s hand and pulled her onto the bed with her, kissing her soundly. “Besides, I wanted to get you something.”  
  
“You don’t have to keep getting me things.” Eli giggled as Maki lay down her back drawing her closer to her. She hummed softly as Maki pressed a gentle kiss to her lips. “Maki…”  
  
“Sssh, just relax.” Maki whispered, kissing Eli again. She threaded her fingers with Eli’s, smiling against soft lips. “I really had fun today. Seriously, I would trade a thousand fundraisers just to be able to go to the amusement park with you once.”  
  
Eli felt her cheeks warm,  a similar warmth expanding over her chest. “I had fun too.” She said quietly, brushing her fingers through Maki’s hair. She felt the redhead pull away for a split second only to rest her head on her chest.

“Why did you choose me? I still don’t get it.” Maki mumbled, comfortably basking in Eli’s warmth. “You could have anyone you want.”  
  
“Honestly?” Eli asked, unsurprised by the question. “Your personality. Not that I didn’t like Nozomi’s but there’s something firey about you. Mysterious. You’re someone I wanted to learn more and more about. I mean yeah, you’re hot and all but what really made me fall for you was getting to know the real you. It didn’t help that your kisses were explosive.”   
  
Maki blushed at the compliment. “I’ve never kissed anyone else. That kiss with you was my first.”  
  
“For real? Damn…” Eli said in surprise. “I was sure you’d done it before.”  
  
Maki shook her head in response. “You’re my first everything.”  
  
Eli smiled softly and turned, brushing her lips against Maki’s cheek. “I love you, Maki. I don’t even know how to…”  
  
“I know.” Maki whispered back.   
  
“I never want to be apart from you.” Eli continued quietly, her throat tightening at the thought of all of the time they’d be spending apart when she graduated.   
  
“I know.” Maki looked up at Eli but the blonde wasn’t looking at her. “Do you want to know why I love you?”  
  
“Huh?” Eli anxiously met Maki’s gaze. “Oh, y-yeah…”  
  
“I love you for a lot of reasons.” Maki pushed herself up, smiling gently down at Eli. “I love you for your kindness. You’re so cool and confident and just someone I look up to when I have a hard decision to make. I’ve always been a bit too decisive with stuff but meeting you showed me a different path. You’ve really changed me, for the better I think…”  
  
“I feel the same way.” Eli leaned up and gently kissed Maki, lingering for a second before she let her head fall back to the pillow. “I wish I could take you with me to college. Can’t you just…?”  
  
“I still have two years left.” Maki reminded Eli, causing her to let out a huff of annoyance.   
  
“It’s not like you aren’t smart enough…” Eli grumbled unhappily.   
  
“I know. But I’ll visit you all of the time.” Maki reassuringly rubbed Eli’s arm. “Don’t worry about it, Eli. You don’t have to worry about us anymore, we’re…good. We’re happy. And we’ll be happy when you’re in college too. And after that, when we live together. I’ll do whatever I can to make you happy.”  
  
Eli smiled softly and wrapped her arms around Maki, holding her close. “Tell me about it. What you imagine in our future.”  
  
“Uh…” Maki paused uncertainly. If she told the truth it would certainly be embarrassing. “Well I see us together obviously. I’ll be a doctor and you’ll be a hotshot lawyer. We’re um….” She coughed, her face turning red. “Married. A-And happy. We’re just really happy.”  
  
Eli was taken aback at the mention of marriage and was about to say as much when there was a knock at her door, followed by her mom’s voice.   
  
“Eli?”  
  
Eli panicked and shot up from the bed, hurrying to neaten her hair. Maki sat up too, folding her legs underneath her.   
  
“Uh…come in!” Eli called back.   
  
Her door opened and her mom stepped into the room, her gaze flitting between the two girls. Eli felt her hands tremble slightly at her sides. She was still somewhat nervous of her mom ever walking in on her with Maki.   
  
“Dinner will be ready soon. Are you staying over again, Nishikino-san?” Irina asked quietly.   
  
“Y-Yes.” Maki stuttered nervously as Eli’s mother looked at her. “If that’s okay.”  
  
“That’s fine. I’ll see you both downstairs.” Irina turned back to her daughter. “Could you remind Arisa when I call you? She has her earphones in.”  
  
“Sure…” Eli said softly as her mom turned and left the room.   
  
“I don’t think your mom likes me.” Maki said quietly as Irina chose to leave the door open and carried on down the hallway.   
  
“Of course she does.” Eli said, sitting back down on the bed next to Maki. “What kind of parent wouldn’t like you? Me on the other hand…I can’t imagine what your mother thinks of me. Leading you astray and all, like I did…”  
  
“Oh, she likes you.” Maki said quickly, a soft smile tugging at her lips. “She says you’re a good influence. She’s even trying to get me to try her wedding dress on…”  
  
“Huh?” Eli’s eyes widened in surprise. “B-But…”  
  
“Don’t worry about it.” Maki laughed at Eli’s panic. “My mother’s really weird, that’s all. The point is she really does like you. You’d know that if you ever came over.”  
  
Eli winced. “Your dad’s kind of scary though…”  
  
“He’s supposed to be.” Maki turned and lay down, her head in Eli’s lap. “He’s treating you like any of the boys he’d try to arrange me with. This is good, it means that you’re dating me.”  
  
“Yeah well he’s still scary.” Eli mumbled, shrugging her shoulders.   
  
Maki laughed and reached up, briefly touching Eli’s cheek. “You should come over. Mama and Papa would both like it if you did. They could get to know you better.”  
  
“Uh…” Eli was hesitant to say yes but she couldn’t with Maki looking at her. “I guess. If you really want me to.”  
  
“I do. I’ll arrange it with them.” Maki pushed herself up and kissed Eli quickly. “Thank you. And if it makes you feel any better, at least my parents like you. I have to sit with your mom glar-” She shrieked as Eli let out a playful growl and tickled her sides. “Stop, stop! I’m sorry!”  
  
“You’d better be.” Eli said with a faux glare. She relaxed back against her pillows, gently stroking Maki’s hair. “So fluffy…”  
  
“I’m not your damn teddy bear.” Maki said though there was no malice behind her words.   
  
Eli laughed softly in response. “Yes, you are.”


End file.
